Graduate Program

Admission Requirements

It is recommended that interested students attend an advisement session in the Physical Therapy Program during the summer or fall semesters. Students may sign up for one of these sessions either on-line or by phone. Students are admitted once a year, with classes beginning in the fall. The application deadline is December 1 for PTCAS and December 15 for UNM Physical Therapy Program application.

Instructions to submit applications are available on-line through the program’s website http://hsc.unm.edu/som/physther/.

Applicants who appear to be best qualified will be invited for an interview. Final selection will be made from the group of candidates interviewed. The program’s selection process does not discriminate against any student on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, creed or national group.

Information about general student services at the University of New Mexico, including financial aid, can be obtained by calling 1-800-CALLUNM (255-5866).

For further information, the program may be contacted at the address and phone number below:

The University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Physical Therapy Program
Attn: Admissions Chair
MSC09 5230
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 272-5755


Pre-professional Educational Requirements

Applicants to the program must have a degree at the baccalaureate level from an accredited university, including 35 credits of science prerequisites. Please contact the program or visit the program’s website for specific course requirements. http://hsc.unm.edu/som/physther/

Only candidates with overall and prerequisite grade point averages of 3.0 or higher will be considered.


Professional Curriculum

The professional program is nine semesters in length and begins with the fall session each year. Students take 120 credits of professional courses in the theory and practice of physical therapy and affiliate at clinical sites for professional experiences that are correlated with classroom activities. Professional courses are open only to those students that are admitted to the Physical Therapy Program.

First Year
Fall Semester  
PT 505 Foundations I 5
PT 507L Orthopedics I 7
PT 521L Human Anatomy 6
    18
  Spring Semester  
PT 508L Orthopedics II 8
PT 512 Patient Management and Clinical Decision-Making I 1
PT 580 Prosthetics 2
PT 534 Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice 3
    14
  Summer Semester   
PT 511 Clinical Internship I (8 wks) 5
    5
Second Year Fall Semester  
PT 607L Neurologic Physical Therapy I 8
PT 612 Patient Management and Clinical Decision-Making II 1
PT 544 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 4
PT 662L Pediatrics 5


18
  Spring Semester   
PT 608L Neurologic Physical Therapy II 8
PT 660 Health, Wellness, and Fitness 3
PT 670 Gerontology 3
PT 622 Psychosocial and Cultural Concepts 2
    15
  Summer Session  
PT 610 Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care 5
PT 650 Advanced Differential Diagnosis 2
PT 632 Advanced Evidence-Based Practice 2
    9
Third Year Fall Semester  
PT 611 Clinical Internship II (8 wks) 5
PT 640 Women's Health 2
PT 680 Organization and Administration
2
PT 623 Psychosocial and Cultural Concepts II 2
PT 685 Advanced Spinal Manipulation
2
PT 691
Capstone Project
1
PT 651 Patient Management and Clinical Decision-Making III
3
 
  17
 
Spring Semester
 
PT 691 Capstone Project 2
PT 652
Clinical Internship III (10 wks) 7
PT 654 Clinical Internship IV (10 wks) 7
 
 
16
 
Summer Semester
 
PT 653 Advanced Patient Management and Clinical Decision-Making IV 2
PT 681 Administration and Supervision II 1
PT 691 Capstone Project 3
PT 692 Board Preparation
1
    7

In addition to satisfactory completion of the didactic portion of the curriculum, students must successfully prepare and present a Capstone Project. Included in the curriculum are 36 weeks of full time clinical practice. Hospital and health care facilities throughout New Mexico and a limited number of facilities outside the state are utilized in the clinical education experiences.

Students in the Physical Therapy program pay tuition based on full-time graduate status at UNM. Estimated tuition and course fee costs for resident students for three years is $35,550.00, and for non-residents $73,611.00. The estimated total for non-tuition expenses while in the program is approximately $12,900 (includes required personal computer). The additional costs associated with all clinical education experiences, including transportation, room and board (approximately $1000/rotation), are borne by the student. Students are required to carry health and professional liability insurance. Both types are available through the University for a reasonable fee.


DPT Completion Track

Graduates of the UNM Masters in Physical Therapy (MPT) degree program will be able to take the Degree Completion Track in order to earn their Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Contact the Physical Therapy Program for details at either (505) 272-5755 or http://hsc.unm.edu/som/physther/.

Students will take a total of 16 credits, including 5 courses from the entry-level curriculum plus 4 additional courses.

PT 632 Advanced Evidence Based Practice 2
PT 650 Advanced Differential Diagnosis 2
PT 660 Health, Wellness and Fitness 3
PT 670 Gerontology 2
PT 691 Capstone Project
2
  
Additional courses:   
PT 609 Neuroscience 1
PT 620  Understanding Medical Imaging 1
PT 624  Cultural Awareness 1
PT 630 Pharmacology in Rehabilitation 1


Courses

PT 351. Clinical Exercise in Physical Therapy. [Clinical Exercise Physiology.] . (3)



PT 505. Foundations I. (5)



PT 507L. Orthopedics I. (7)



PT 508L. Orthopedics II. (8)



PT 511. Clinical Internship I. (5)



PT 512. Patient Management and Clinical Decision Making I. (1)



PT 521L. Human Anatomy. (6)



PT 534. Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice. (3)



PT 544. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology. (4)



PT 580. Prosthetics. (2 [3])



PT 607L. Neurologic Physical Therapy I. (8 [7])



PT 608L. Neurologic Physical Therapy II. (8 [7])



PT 609. Neuroscience. (1)



PT 610. Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care. (5)



PT 611. Clinical Internship II. (5)



PT 612. Patient Management and Clinical Decision-Making II. (1)



PT 620. Understanding Medical Imaging. (1)



PT 622. Psychosocial and Cultural Concepts I . (2)



PT 623. Psychosocial and Cultural Concepts II. (2)



PT 624. Cultural Awareness. (1)



PT 630. Pharmacology in Rehabilitation. (1)



PT 632. Advanced Evidence-Based Practice. (2)



PT 640. Gender Health [Women’s Health]. (2)



PT 650. Advanced Differential Diagnosis. (2)



PT 651. Patient Management and Clinical Decision Making III. (2 [3])



PT 652. Clinical Internship III. (7)



PT 653. Patient Management and Clinical Decision-Making IV. (3 [2])



PT 654. Clinical Internship IV. (7)



PT 660. Health, Wellness and Fitness. (3)



PT 662L. Pediatrics. (5 [4])



PT 670. Gerontology. (2 or 3)



PT 680. Organization and Administration. (2)



PT 681. Administration and Supervision II. (1)



PT 685. Advanced Spinal Manipulation. (2)



PT 691. Capstone Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 ∆)



PT 692. Board Preparation. (1)



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Office of the Registrar

MSC 11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809