Best Physical Therapy Schools in US

 Following are some of the best schools offering physical therapy programs

University of Delaware
- Rated 4th in the nation for Graduate PT Programs by US News (2009).
- The UD Physical Therapy Curriculum is offered as a 2.5 year program.
- It was ranked 14th among 100 best values in public colleges in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.


US Army-Baylor University
- Baylor University is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
- The Army-Baylor Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

University of Iowa
- The University of Iowa Physical Therapy Graduate Program is ranked 3rd among public institutions (USNWR 2009).
- Satisfactory completion of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum qualifies the candidates to take a state-administered national licensing examination.

University of Miami
- The Department of Physical Therapy offers a three year, entry level clinical doctoral degree the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and an academic doctoral degree, ( PhD) in Physical Therapy.
- The Department of Physical Therapy is accredited by both the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS) Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
- It has been consistently ranked as one of the top 10 physical therapy programs in the United States.

University of Florida
- The Department of Physical Therapy has been ranked fourth in the nation for AAU Public Universities by U.S. News and World Report.
- The DPT is the degree endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Ranking of Best Physical Therapy Schools (Top 40 list):
1. University of Southern California
2. University of Pittsburgh
2. Washington University in St. Louis
4. University of Delaware
5. US Army-Baylor University
5. University of Iowa
7. Arcadia University
7. MGH Institute of Health Professions
7. Northwestern University
7. University of Miami
11. Emory University
11. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
13. Duke University
13. University of California–San Francisco/San Francisco State University
15. New York University
15. University of Florida
15. University of Illinois–Chicago
15. University of Maryland–Baltimore
19. Creighton University
19. Marquette University
19. Ohio State University
19. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
19. University of Utah
24. Boston University
24. Texas Woman’s University
24. Univ of Kansas Medical Center
24. Univ of Texas Medical Branch–Galveston
24. Virginia Commonwealth Univ
29. Northern Arizona Univ
29. Regis Univ
29. Univ of Alabama–Birmingham
29. Univ of Washington
33. Columbia Univ
33. Mayo School of Health Related Sciences
33. Univ of Colorado–Denver
33. Univ of Nebraska Medical Center
33. Univ of Wisconsin–Madison
38. Univ of Kentucky
38. Univ of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
38. Univ of Wisconsin–La Crosse

Source: U.S. News & World Report (2009)

Nurses' Do's and Don’ts

The Dos:

1. When doing documentation, it is important to write legibly. The information you are writing isn’t only for your personal reference. It is for other nurse’s/doctor’s use as well because it is a hospital record. Make it a habit to write in a way that others may understand your handwriting.
2. Charting is one of the most important tasks a nurse does in a day. It is highly advisable to do it with great precision. There are times it can get repetitive but if you know the hospital’s software pretty well, do it as fast and accurate as you could. This saves you from getting bored. You can still finish more tasks which you are more interested at.
3. Although there are times it is difficult to tell your patients their real situation, it is important that you’re honest with them. In cases you need to make another round of injection (which most patients are afraid of), tell them that it indeed hurt but you’ll do it as fast so they won’t feel the pain at all.
4. It is important to be organized at all times. This enables you to have a clear mind, to think with more focus. A nurse should be able to put medicines, tools and equipments in their proper places. This will help your co-workers find things faster whenever needed.
5. It is important to muster how certain procedures are done such as performing physical examinations, interpreting X-ray results and other laboratory tests, and counseling patients on the things to do. People’s health/life is at stake therefore, a nurse should be very well aware of the right things to do.
6. A nurse should be able to manage time properly. It is important to exercise being prompt all the time, especially when administering medications. There are certain medications which can achieve better results when medication is done at the required time.
7. A nurse on duty must always exercise accuracy. He/She must be certain on details like who to provide medication to, what medication to give and when to give it. If required to make a solution on the said medication, he/she must also do it with great precision.

The Dont’s:

1. When doing documentation, do not just erase any information with any kind of eraser. You must utilize the hospital’s subscribed way or erasing or deleting details.
2. Do not forge someone else’s signature. It may cause you your job or your co-worker’s if proven. Even when you think that there is really no harm on putting a forged initial, you will never know what sort of emergency will happen soon.
3. When doing physical examination/ tests, don’t use inappropriate description such as “button-like scar”. Instead, use an appropriate description of its measurements such as its actual measurement in centimeter or milliliter.
4. Do not bad mouth co-workers to patients. It gives a negative image to the hospital where you are working at.

These are just few of the many things which nurses are supposed to do and avoid. When you had yourself familiar on the dos and don’ts of the hospital, you are making yourself more equipped and more knowledgeable altogether.

How To Prepare For an Internship

Securing an internship should be treated in the same way as obtaining a full-time job. Internships can be competitive and the recruitment process should be taken seriously. Finding the internship that’s right for you requires patience, research and a plan of action. You need to prove your suitability to the hiring committee in terms of your personality, preparedness and maturity in handling new and challenging experiences in any environment. Participation in student life would be a useful experience to highlight on your internship application, as would past summer jobs or volunteer and community experience. In addition, it is necessary to assess your skills, interests and values so that your direction is clear. Furthermore, prepare a proper resume and cover letter. Finally, use the internship analysis guide to help you put your internship search strategy into action.

A guide to helping you plan your internship

The most important thing in the initial phase of planning your internship involves setting your learning objectives / career goals and putting together a job search plan that will lead you in a positive direction and towards an internship opportunity that will best suit your needs. Listed below are a few questions you should ask yourself before you even begin your internship search.

Develop an Internship Target

• What are your career goals?
  
• What skills do you need to strengthen in order for you to reach these goals?
  
• How will your targeted internship help you to strengthen your skills?
  
• What transferable skills do you have?
  
• What would you describe as the ideal internship for you?

Prepare for your Internship Search

• Register to use the CAPS Web site so you can browse the internship postings or search through directories of internships
  
• Contact companies directly and ask if there are internships available
  
• Network with people you know and make them aware of your goals (teachers, friends, family members, etc.)
  
• Check government Web sites
• Visit and register with Placement Étudiant
  
• Check out internship resources at the Career Resource Center (H-440)
  
• Get suggestions from the Outreach / Placement Officer at CAPS

Build your career portfolio

• Take advantage of workshops related to job search techniques and strategies
  
• Make an appointment to see one of our Placement Officers to get feedback on your CV and cover letter.
  
• Contact references and make a list available to employers upon request
  
• If your field of study requires you to have a portfolio, have it organized and available for viewing.

Set your priorities

• Make a prioritized list of desired internships
  
• Research the possibilities to the fullest extent
  
• Determine the best way to apply for the internship position
  
• Inquire if you are uncertain about requirements, eligibility or qualifications
  
• Find out the contact person
  
• Follow up on favorable responses

Skills Assessment

Choosing an internship that best matches your needs and your chosen career path is not always easy and straightforward. Assessing which area your skills are the strongest in can help guide you. Moreover, assessing your skills can broaden your options and show you domains you might not have thought of otherwise.
A thorough self-assessment is a necessary step in internship planning. The information you can gain from through self-assessment is beneficial and crucial to the development of your cover letters, resume and interview preparation.
Working through the self-assessment checklist will help you identify your transferable skills. Even though you lack direct work experience, you have acquired skills that you can bring to the work place; skills that you have gained through other work, school, volunteer and / or extra-curricular experience.
Self-assessment requires you to take an in-depth look at a variety of skill areas. Even though you may think some of the areas do not apply, or do not seem important, you may be surprised to find out that most employers look for well-rounded candidates to fill internship positions.
After completing your self-assessment, you could prepare further by preparing a personal statement, which represents a summary of skills and personal attributes that highlight what you can offer to a company. Your statement will help you compose cover letters, highlight your resume and assist you in the interview process. Ask yourself the following questions to help you get started:

• Why should I hire you?
• Tell me about yourself?
• What can you offer the company?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Your personal statement will help you to write a clear and concise cover letter and it will help you answer questions with confidence and ease during an interview. Remember that employers want you to provide examples to support your answers in order to assess your personal attributes and / or experience.

The St louis cyber

St louis is growing. After the degree program, the school has a cyber already running. thanks to the CEO Dr Nick, who personally  invested on the project. Also due to the hard work of four bright guys who call themselves DENG Boys. The cyber will be free for both the students and the environs.