Clinical Experiences FAQs

After reviewing this page and the related sections of our website, if you have additional questions please contact the program coordinator at [email protected].  

When do clinical education experiences in the DPT program start and how long does each experience last?

The first clinical education experience is seven weeks long in an outpatient orthopedic setting after the first year of academic coursework, in the second half of the summer. The second and third clinical education experiences are seven weeks long each in the summer of the second year. These placements are in an acute care hospital and a rehabilitation setting. The fourth and final clinical education experience is fifteen weeks in the spring semester of the third year and can be completed in any setting.

Where are the clinical experience sites located?

Our program has numerous contracts with sites in the Chattanooga area as well as all over the United States. The Director of Clinical Education can work with students to attempt to secure a new site for the final clinical education experience.

How are clinical sites assigned for DPT students?

Students are assigned to sites based on the academic and clinical education needs of the student, the needs of the clinical site and the needs of the program. Students are provided a list of sites that offered placement for each of the experiences and preferences are considered during the assignment process. All students will be assigned to a site outside of the Chattanooga area for at least one of the experiences in the summer of the second year.