student resources

• DPT Class Officers
• Funding Opportunities for DPT to PhD Students
• Career Planning
• PHYT Course List

• UD Student Resources (All)
• Center for Counseling & Student Development
  • Virtual Mental Health Support (TimelyCare)
• Student Health Services

University of Delaware (UD) Physical Therapy Clinical Services are private, outpatient facilities located on the University of Delaware Campus. The Sports, Orthopedic, Neurologic and Older Adult clinics are located in the STAR Health Sciences Complex and serve primarily as teaching labs for students of the University's entry-level graduate physical therapy program. For that purpose, the clinics are staffed with expert clinicians who are board certified clinical specialists; the proximity to the teaching and research facilities also promotes consultations with faculty members.

Students are required to complete two, semester-long, part-time, integrated clinical education experiences (ICEs) during the first two years in the program. The ICEs are completed in the department's clinic, housed in the same building as the classrooms. All students complete ICEs in the following areas: sports / orthopedics and neurologic / older adult. Following the completion of the didactic curriculum, students complete three terminal full-time clinical education experiences. Each full-time clinical experience is 10 weeks long. Students are required to complete these full-time experiences in the following areas: Inpatient, Outpatient, and Elective (practice setting or population of choice). The identification and development of quality clinical partners is a strategic priority, resulting in the maintenance of clinical contracts with approximately 400 clinical sites throughout the United States.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The University of Delaware is required to comply with state and federal laws regarding the delivery of distance education.  Please see the University’s State Authorization page for more information.

DPT Program

• Program Policy Document
• Clinical Education Manual

 Please contact Dr. McGee with questions regarding service-learning.

Graduation awards

Graduates are nominated and voted on by faculty. Awards presented at graduation.  

• Binder-Macleod Faculty Award

Recognizes a student who has made significant contributions to the DPT Program. These include working to improve the DPT program, helping to fulfill the department’s mission towards education, scholarship, and service, and demonstrating potential for leadership within the Physical Therapy profession. The recipient is awarded a plaque.

• Clinical Impact and Leadership Award

This award recognizes three graduating DPT students who, during the full-time clinical education phase of the curriculum, have demonstrated excellent professionalism, initiative, and leadership that has promoted remarkable impact upon a clinical facility through means of a value-added clinical project. The recipient is awarded a plaque.

• John Scholz Faculty Award

Recognizes a student for exemplary qualities of integrity, cooperation, initiative and leadership in the University of Delaware Physical Therapy (UDPT) Program. The recipient is awarded a plaque.

Second Year Send Off Awards

DPT2 Students must self-nominate for these awards in Spring.  Email will be sent with form to complete and a one-page essay about why they are deserving of the award must be provided for consideration. Faculty vote based on application received.  Awards presented at Second Year Send Off event.  

• Paul Mettler Service Award

Awarded to a second year student with current or previous military service or whose life in the Physical Therapy Program has been directly impacted by a first-generation family member serving their country. The recipient is awarded $500 and a plaque.

• Carol Van Dyke Physical Therapy Fellowship Award

Given to a second year student for funding of clinical education expenses. The recipient is awarded $1,500 and a plaque.

• Catherine Doetzer Kohlenstein Scholarship

Given to a second year student for funding of clinical education expenses. The recipient is awarded $1,500 and a plaque.

• Cossoy/Lucca Scholarship 

Awarded to a second year DPT student who demonstrates substantial promise and ability to contribute to the advancement of the profession. The recipient is awarded $1,500 to $2,000 and a plaque.

• Stauffer Fellowship

Given to a University of Delaware alumni pursuing doctoral training in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Delaware. The recipient is awarded $1,000 to $2,000 and a plaque.

• John P. Scholz Memorial Scholarship

Given to a second year Doctorate in Physical Therapy student who exemplifies excellence in academics and on the athletic field or in the arts. The recipient is awarded $1,500 to $2,000 and a plaque.

• Mae D. Hightower-VanDamm Memorial Scholarship

Presented to a second year DPT student who demonstrates substantial promise and has expressed a financial need. The recipient is awarded $1,500 to $2,000 and a plaque.

• The Tupin Family Fund for Physical Therapy

Presented to a second year DPT student for community service and engaging community partners as a DPT student or undergraduate.  This is not an annual award.  This award is given based on the Chair’s decision on how to spend funds each year.  The recipient is awarded $1,500 to $2,000 and a plaque.

Fellowships

Fellowships offer additional funding opportunities to undergraduate or graduate students.  Current opportunities include:

• Peter White Fellowship

Peter White Fellowships are for University of Delaware undergraduate sophomores or juniors who wish to do a 10-week research fellowship during the summer prior to their junior or senior year.

Summer Scholars Program

The Summer Scholars Program enables selected undergraduates, generally sophomores and juniors, to conduct in-depth research or creative work with University faculty. Students in the Summer Scholars Program work on their projects full-time for ten weeks in the summer.  Research and creative work is generally completed under the close supervision of a faculty member. Each Scholar will receive a stipend of $4,000.  Openings are shared as they become available.  

Through participation in the RCA program, undergraduate students could have the opportunity to interact with physical therapy faculty here at UD, learn about the various training opportunities available, meet other like-minded students who are pursuing a similar career path and participate in programs that will increase the likelihood of successful entry into a top-tier program such as UDPT.