Clinical education is the cornerstone of the UVU Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program. It is the phase where classroom instruction transforms into real-world practice—where students apply knowledge, refine technical skills, and develop the professional behaviors essential for patient-centered care. Under the supervision of licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants students learn to provide safe, effective, and compassionate care across a variety of healthcare environments.
Within the PTA Program at UVU students will participate in two eight (8) week clinical practicum, PTA 3810 and PTA 3820 within the Spring and Fall semester, respectively. Each clinical practicum is an opportunity for students to get hands-on experience, develop entry-level skills, develop professional behaviors, and focus on the application of practical skills that have been learned up to that point in the curriculum. With the assistance of the Director of Clinical Education (DCE), students will receive assignments to participate in a variety of clinical settings, which could include inpatient, outpatient, acute care, neuro, skilled nursing, pediatrics, or rural populations.
During their clinical practicums, students will gain experience in interpreting a plan of care set forth by the Physical Therapist, and how to best carry out that plan for the benefit of their patient. Although each student will have the help and guidance of the DCE and Clinical Instructor (CI), the clinical practicum experience is an opportunity for each student to take control and seek out as many learning opportunities as possible, within each assigned setting. These opportunities are best realized when students are willing to ask questions and be fully engaged in the clinical practicum learning experience. If students are willing to push themselves on each clinical practicum, it will result in increased knowledge, confidence, and professional abilities that will help shape the future of physical therapy.
