Physical Therapy at a Distance: The Student Experience Free

Advances in information technology have changed how healthcare programs deliver instruction. Many students are attracted to distance learning because it offers flexibility, convenience, and independence. The fully Hybrid, Professional, Entry-level Physical Therapy program (DPT) at Nova Southeastern University’s Tampa Campus is an excellent example. This program blends face-to-face and online learning using multimedia and engaging learning strategies.

I recently caught up with a student in this program, Ethan Stockton, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and asked him a few questions about his experience with the program.

After completing the DPT program, I would like to start my career in the acute care setting, preferably at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Albuquerque, NM, because I have a passion for helping people who have served our country. One thing I love about physical therapy is the multiple settings in which a physical therapist can practice. As my career continues, I would like to become a director of a physical therapy department in a hospital or another facility, so I can reach and help more patients.

I chose the hybrid program at Tampa because of its comprehensive curriculum and its flexibility. For 3 weeks, the program consists of watching lectures and practicing skills at home. Then for 1 week, we are on campus taking exams and having patient experiences. This setup allows me to continue working, to stay in my hometown of Albuquerque, NM, and to still have time to spend with family and friends.

I believe that the professors and staff at Tampa’s NSU DPT program do an amazing job of connecting with students and helping them grasp the program’s material, which can often be difficult. A typical week consists of watching prerecorded lectures of course material and application videos, which teach us how to perform physical therapy techniques. After watching these videos, I practice what I have learned on my wife and other family members. Some of the strengths of the program are the flexibility of schedule, which makes the program accessible to a variety of students, and the ability to rewatch lectures to ensure you didn’t miss key information from the lecture. One challenge of the program is that when practicing skills, you don’t get on-the-spot corrections until the campus sessions, which means sometimes having to refine learned skills.

One piece of advice I would give to prospective students would be to get as much volunteer experience as possible and not to be discouraged if you don’t get accepted into the program on your first time.

For more information about the entrylevel Professional DPT program, please visit: https://healthsciences.nova.edu/pt/hedpt-tampa/index.html