Essential Functions

Essential Qualifications/Competencies/Abilities/Functions of Candidates for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Professional Program:
Admissions, Continuance & Graduation

The education of the physical therapy healthcare professional requires assimilation of knowledge, acquisition of skills, and development of judgment through patient care experiences in preparation for a) independent, b) semi-autonomous, or c) collaborative practice, and making appropriate decisions required in such practice. The practice of the profession emphasizes collaboration among all health care professionals, patients, and staff.

The doctor of physical therapy, hereafter referred to as “DPT”, curriculum requires students to engage in diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition and practice of healthcare practitioner skills and functions. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical, and social abilities, are required to satisfactorily perform these functions. In addition to being essential to the successful completion of the requirements of the DPT degree, these functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients, fellow students, faculty and other healthcare providers.

The essential qualifications necessary to acquire or demonstrate competence in a discipline as complex as healthcare and needed for successful admission and continuance by candidates for the DPT degree, in addition to the standards of behavior and academic conduct set forth in the West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Division of Physical Therapy Academic and Professional Standards and the West Virginia University Student Conduct Code, include, but are not limited to, the following functions, skills, competencies, abilities and behaviors:

Motor Skills

Candidates shall have sufficient motor function so that they are able to execute movements required to provide general care and treatment to patients in all health care settings. [For example: For the safety and protection of the patients, the candidate must be able to perform basic life support, including CPR, and function in an emergency situation. The candidate must have the ability, within reasonable limits, to safely assist a patient in moving, for example, from a chair to a bed, examination table, or from a wheelchair to another location. Physical demands of a physical therapist include but are not limited to the following: continual sitting and standing, frequent walking, lifting, carrying, squatting, kneeling, stair climbing, reaching, and turning. Perform lifting up to 50 pounds independently and heavier resistance with assistance. Pushing and pulling activities would include weight up to 200 pounds.

Sensory/Observation

Candidates must be able to acquire the information presented through demonstrations and experiences in the basic and profession’s sciences. The candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance and close at hand, and observe and appreciate non-verbal communications when performing an assessment and intervention or administering of treatment. The candidate must be capable of perceiving the signs of disease and infection as manifested through physical examination. Such information is derived from images of the body surfaces, palpable changes in various organs and tissues, and auditory information (patient voice, heart tones, bowel and lung sounds).

Communication

Candidates must communicate effectively and with other students, faculty, staff, patients, family, and other professionals.  The candidate must express ideas clearly and demonstrate a willingness and ability to give and receive appropriate feedback which is consistent and related to the environment and those whom they interact.  A candidate must be able to: convey or exchange information at a level allowing development of a health history; identify problems presented; explain alternative solutions; and give directions during treatment and post-treatment. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively in oral and written forms in English. The candidate must be able to process and communicate information on the patient's status with accuracy in a timely manner to members of the health care team. The appropriate communication may also rely on the candidate's ability to make a correct judgment in seeking supervision and consultation in a timely manner.

Cognitive

Candidates must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate, and synthesize in the context of professional study. The candidate must be able to quickly read and comprehend extensive written material.  The candidate must also be able to evaluate and apply information and engage in critical thinking in the classroom and clinical setting.

Behavioral/Emotional

Candidates must possess the emotional health required for the full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients and families. In addition, the candidate must be able to maintain mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, students, faculty, staff, and other professionals under all circumstances including highly stressful situations. The candidate must have the emotional stability to function effectively under stress and to adapt to an environment that may change rapidly without warning and/or in unpredictable ways. The candidate must be able to experience empathy for the situations and circumstances of others and effectively communicate that empathy. The candidate must know that one’s own values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and experiences affect the perceptions and relationships with others. The candidate must be able and willing to examine and change behavior when it interferes with productive individual or team relationships. The candidate must possess skills and experience necessary for effective and harmonious relationships in diverse academic and working environments.

Professional Conduct

Candidates must possess the ability to reason morally and practice in an ethical manner. The candidate must be willing to learn and abide by professional standards of practice. The candidate must possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility, and tolerance. Candidates must be able to engage in patient care delivery in all settings and be able to deliver care to all patient populations including but not limited to children, adolescents, adults, developmentally disabled persons, and individuals who are medically compromised. Candidates must adhere to the APTA Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

The West Virginia University Division of Physical Therapy is committed to ensuring that otherwise qualified students with disabilities are given equal access through reasonable accommodations to its services, programs, activities, education and employment for students with disabilities. The Division works closely with University’s Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) in this process.  The OAS is the contact point for students with permanent or temporary sensory, physical, or psychological disabilities interested in requesting reasonable accommodations due to the effects of a disability.  Students who wish to request reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact OAS to start the process for documenting their disability and determining eligibility for services prior to the start of the program. While this process can be started at any time, reasonable accommodations may not be implemented retroactively, so being timely in requesting your accommodations is very important.

Disability Resources for Students

Students with disabilities are expected to perform all the essential functions of the program with or without reasonable accommodation. The OAS will work with the student and the Division to provide if possible, reasonable accommodations. While the University will make every effort to work with our students with disabilities to accommodate their disability-related needs, it is important to note we are not required to provide requested accommodations that would fundamentally alter the essential qualifications, functions, technical standards, or other academic requirements of the program, or result in an undue financial or administrative burden.

Implementation of the Essential Qualifications of Candidates for Admission, Continuance, and Graduation

Potential students will be advised of the Essential Qualifications for Admission, Continuance, and Graduation in application materials available for review at the Division’s website (https://medicine.wvu.edu/pt/future-students/essential-functions/). Incoming students will be alerted to the Essential Qualifications expectations during program orientation.

Updated 5/2024