Physical Therapy Clinical Education FAQs

How many and how long are the clinical internships? 
DPT students engage in 4 full-time internships, ranging from 5 weeks to 10 weeks in length for a total of 34 weeks of full-time internships.

Where are your clinical internships located?
The Department of Physical Therapy Education has contracts with over 400 clinical sites in 43 states. Over 83% of our clinical sites are located in KS, MO, OK, IA, and NE.  We are always open to pursuing relationships with new sites based on student, faculty, alumni, and area clinician recommendations.

How are students’ clinical internships decided?
All students submit preferences for upcoming internships prior to assignments being made. A hybrid computer/committee model is used to match students to clinical internships, with final assignments reviewed by faculty. Early 5-week internships are determined via a computer matching process.  Longer 5, 9 and 10-week internships are determined via a lottery system with a student/faculty committee recommending student internship assignments. Student internships are based on individual needs, while working to ensure all students experience a range of practice settings to prepare them to successfully secure employment after graduation.