A Day in the Clinic
Baylor DPT students complete 31 weeks of full-time clinical education, comprised of (2) eight-week experiences and a 15-week experience. Here, students get to apply their knowledge and hands-on skills by helping patients under the supervision and guidance of a clinical instructor.
“The clinical rotation is really where it all comes together. I was learning so much in the classroom, but it felt like a lot of loose puzzle pieces in my brain. Now that I am in the clinic, those pieces are finally fitting together, and I am seeing the bigger picture. It really makes a difference working with real patients, gathering information about their real presentations, and treating them with real feedback and results! It’s so exciting!” —Amanda Correa (Class of 2025)
There is flexibility regarding the types of settings and geographic locations where clinical rotations take place, however, every student must complete at least one inpatient rotation and one outpatient rotation.
The Baylor DPT Student Support Team works with each student individually to match them to clinical sites where they can improve their skills and grow in their patient-client management capabilities. Each student is assigned a Program Manager who meets with them 1:1 to learn more about the student’s clinical interests. From there, the Student Support team works with clinical partners across the United States to place students.
Sample Schedule for a Day in the Clinic
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30-8:00am | Prep for Clinic Day | Outpatient Clinics: Prepare exercise plans, equipment Inpatient Facilities: Check schedule, review charts, patient rounds |
| 9:00-11:30am | Patient Care | Outpatient Clinics: Initial evaluations, reevaluations, patient treatments Inpatient Facilities: Patient treatments throughout facility, patient rooms |
| 11:30am-12:30pm | Finish Up Morning Schedule | Outpatient Clinics: Documentation, reorganize clinic and equipment Inpatient Facilities: Documentation, notes in patients' electronic records |
| 12:30-1:30pm | Lunch Break | During lunch, students may engage in a continuing education course, in-service, case-study presentation, or journal review with clinic/facility staff |
| 1:30-4:30pm | Patient Care | Outpatient Clinics: Reevaluations, patient treatments Inpatient Facilities: Group therapy, exercise class, patient treatments |
| 4:30-5:30pm | Finish Up Daily Schedule | Outpatient Clinics: Documentation, clean clinic and equipment; possibly work school sports clinic, see patients who come in after work Inpatient Facilities: Finish any post-op patient care, work with patients and family on discharge plans, document all in electronic records |
| Evening | DPT Coursework, Study Licensure Exam, Research Cases, Relax and Rest | During clinical rotations, students will continue Baylor coursework (1-2 classes per rotation). Courses are designed to accommodate clinic schedules. |
Will I be able to complete all of my clinical rotations in my hometown, or will I have to travel?
The Baylor DPT Student Support Team will work closely with each student to find out where they live, where they have family/friends around the country, and where they’d be willing to travel. While we will not sacrifice the quality of each student’s education for convenience, our team takes each student’s needs and preferences into account while determining the best learning pathway for them. This enables each one to be sent to top quality clinics where they will receive expert instruction.
Are Baylor DPT students enrolled in coursework during clinical rotations?
Yes, 1-2 courses run concurrently with clinical rotations and serve to reinforce and enhance what students are doing in the clinic.
