Welcome to our Physical Therapy Clinical Educator Corner, a resource hub featuring various forms and tools to support clinical education and our Clinical Education Excellence webinar series.
Quick Links
APTA Learning Center – Complete your CPI training here.
APTA Learning Center log-in instructions
Clinical Education Corner – CI training resources.
Clinical Education Handbook – Student and CI resources for Clinical Education policies, procedures, and expectations.
Incident Reporting Form for Students on Clinical Experiences
Negotiated Learning Contract – Sample contract between student and facility for outlining additional student performance criteria.
Sample Affiliation Agreement Form – Submit this form to ufdptclined@phhp.ufl.edu if interested in becoming a clinical site for our DPT students.
Professional Behavior Assessment Tool
Summary Table of Full-Time Clinical Experiences – This table is a reference document for clinical sites to quickly review basic expectations, assignments and where in the curriculum the clinical experience is held.
UF DPT Slot Commitment Form – Please complete the UF DPT Slot Commitment form if you prefer it over the Slot Request link received through Exxat.
Weekly Planning Form – Sample form to organize student learning outcomes on a weekly basis.
Webinar Series
Clinical Education Excellence
A Physical Therapy clinical education webinar series.
FAQs
What medical or legal forms are students required to provide before applying for clinical experiences?
All students are required to meet the DPT immunization requirements for admission as noted on the website. In addition to required immunizations, all students must show current proof of an updated annual tuberculosis screening prior to the beginning of Clinical Education I. Prior to participation in full-time clinical experience all students must show proof of the following:
- UF HIPAA Training
- HIV/Bloodborne Pathogen Training
- CPR/BLS Healthcare Provider certification
- Health insurance including major medical (hospitalization)
- Annual Tuberculosis screening
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Hepatitis B
- Varicella titer
- Background Check
- Tetanus/Tdap
Per individual clinical site requirements, students may be required to show proof of the following:
- Additional background checks of varying levels and cost
- Drug Screen
- Fingerprinting
- Additional vaccines such as Tetanus or Influenza
- Face mask fit testing
- Other requirements as stated by the individual clinical site
Students are required to review clinical experience site documents such as the Clinical Site Information Form (CSIF) and posted reports from prior students, as well as contacting the SCCE at each site to prepare appropriately for each clinical experience.Students must link proof of coverage/completion of all medical and legal requirements in the PT departmental tracking system and keep this up to date throughout all full-time clinical experiences. Students who fail to comply with these requirements are subject to disciplinary action.
What should I do if a student is involved in or sees an accident during clinical experience activities at my site?
Students who are involved in or witness an accident or incident while participating in clinical experience activities must follow the clinical site’s policy on completing reports/forms/documents related to the accident/incident. Students should also complete the Incident Reporting Form and follow the instructions on the form.
As soon as possible, or at maximum, within 24 hours of the accident /incident, students must also contact the DCE/ADCE to receive direction for follow up according to UF’s Health Science Center Self Insurance Program (SIP) procedures where applicable.
The student will be contacted by the DCE/ADCE (or another school representative) to confirm receipt of their report and provide further direction as needed.
Pursuant to contractual agreements with clinical sites, students are not eligible for employee benefits including worker’s compensation. For minor injuries, first aid should be administered onsite. For more serious injuries, emergency response should be instigated. Each student is responsible for maintaining personal major medical health insurance while on clinical experiences, thereby availing the student of the opportunity to receive appropriate emergency care.
What are the CPI due dates?
Clinical instructors and students are required to complete and sign off on the CPI at week 4 (midterm) and week 8 (final) of each clinical experience.
Will I need to pay for housing while out on my clinical experience?
In most cases, you will need to cover the cost for your own housing. Some clinical sites may have low-cost options, but it is subject to availability and is out of the control of the DPT program.
Do my health records need to remain current throughout my duration in the program?
Yes, you must remain in compliance at all times. Failure to update expired records can delay your clinical experience, your graduation and/or result in your dismissal from the program.
Do I need health insurance or am I covered by the school?
It is a UF mandatory requirement for all students to have health insurance at all times. Although the university has liability insurance coverage, your health insurance covers you in the event of an injury.
Who do I contact if I have a special circumstance or medical issue that may affect my clinical education?
Please contact your clinical education faculty to discuss any concerns or questions as soon as something arises to develop the best plan of action.
Will I be expected to travel for a clinical experience?
Yes, you can expect to travel out of the immediate area for one or more clinical experiences. If your request qualifies for a designated hardship per our policy, please follow the procedure for requesting a hardship.
May I contact a clinical site to see if they can host me for a clinical experience?
No, students are not permitted to contact clinical sites unless advised in writing by the clinical education team.
Are there requirements for my four clinical placements that need to be met?
Yes, we require each student to complete 1 full-time clinical experience in each of the following settings:
- C3 – Category 3: Acute Care / High Medical Complexity
- C2 – Category 2: Neurologic, Oncologic, Pediatric Outpatient, Inpatient Rehabilitation, or Skilled Nursing Facility / Moderate Medical Complexity
- C1 – Category 1: Traditional Outpatient Clinic / Low Medical Complexity
Can the DPT Program develop a contract with a new site I am interested in?
The Clinical Education Team is open to developing new contracts for sites that offer experiences in Category 2 (C2) or Category 3 (C3) settings, as these are areas of ongoing need. However, we are currently pausing the development of new contracts for Category 1 (C1) settings due to the high volume of existing contracts already available in those areas.
How should I prepare for my clinical experience?
It is beneficial to review your coursework and review the evaluations from other students that have had previous clinical experiences at that site. Once you are allowed to contact your site, they also may have recommendations on how to prepare. Your clinical site may also provide you with specific requirements to complete before you arrive
Why would a student not be able to attend a clinical experience?
Academic issues, health and wellness concerns, and/or breaches in professionalism among other reasons may result in a delayed clinical experience. Please review our program policies and contact a clinical education team member if you have any questions or concerns in this area.
Who do I contact if there is an emergency (weather, injury, etc.) while attending a clinical experience?
Please contact your school’s clinical education team as soon as possible. You may be asked to leave your clinical experience until it is an appropriate time to return. You may also be required to make that time up in order to successfully complete the experience.
Can I request where I want to be placed for my clinical experience?
You will be given the opportunity to select 10 preferences on your Wishlist from our current list of active clinical sites for each full-time clinical education experience. You will be placed per our placement policy with consideration given to the locations acknowledged on the Wishlist.