Objectives
The objective of our program is to nurture clinicians with a broad knowledge of and competence in physical therapy. Students are guided by the principle of compassion so that they can work as members of medical and health service teams. In addition, we develop their potential as experimental and clinical researchers so that they may become major contributors to the field of physical therapy.
Characteristics of the Curriculum
Students have many opportunities to be involved in various research fields including:
- Three-dimensional motion analysis
- Injured prevention and treatment for athletes
- Structural and functional anatomy
- Brain function in motion, perception, and emotion
- Histology of neuromuscular system; and
- Pain Research.
Our department has labs equipped with superb instruments such as VICON for motion analysis, TMS/tDCS and gene analysis system for brain function, AMTI force plates/BIODEX/ultrasound image apparatus for athlete support, fluorescence microscope for histological study, and the animal experiment facility for electrophysiological study. These facilities are accessible to students for the purpose of hands-on training and research projects.
From the very beginning of the academic year, students are divided into small groups. A faculty member is assigned to each group and gives them advice on every aspect of their campus life. In order to maximize the competency of students in clinical settings, we adopt the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in our curriculum. Students need to establish communication with ‘simulated’ patients and demonstrate necessary clinical skills in front of examiners.
Qualifications and Careers
Upon successful completion of our program, students are eligible for the national physical therapy licensure examination. Our exam pass rate has been over 90%, which is far higher than the national average. A major portion of our graduates start their careers at various hospitals.
International Activities
In order to have our students see physical therapy from much wider perspectives, we annually take them to such foreign countries as the U.S.A, the Philippines, and Australia.
Diploma, Curriculum and Admission Policies (Department of Physical Therapy)
| STEPS Abilities and attitudes of qualified QOL supporters |
Diploma Policy NUHW grants a bachelor's degree to the students who have acquired the following abilities and attributes. |
Curriculum Policy NUHW implements the curriculum as follows in order to help students develop into competent QOL supporters. |
Admission Policy NUHW seeks students who have the following abilities and attributes. |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Science & Art Ability to utilize scientific knowledge and skills in academic discipline |
Abilities to utilize their advanced scientific knowledge and skills in physical therapy | Our curriculum provides liberal arts and specialized fundamental and major subjects. Our curriculum also provides physical therapy seminars and research practicum. The learning outcomes will be evaluated by the results of liberal arts and specilized fundamental subjects. | Basic academic skills and learning abilities of subjects, such as English, Japanese, and Mathematics, at the high school graduation level |
| T | Teamwork & Leadership Ability to work together as a team and to show leadership qualities |
Abilities to demonstrate leadership as physical therapists for solving clients' problems in interprofessional collaborative practices | Our curriculum provides a cluster of subjects related to health, medicine, welfare, and liberal arts, along with another cluster of subjects where these issues are learned interrelatedly. Our curriculum also provides introductory seminars physical therapy. The learning outcomes will be evaluated by the results of a cluster of subjects related to health, medicine, welfare, and liberal arts, along with another cluster of subjects where these issues are learned interrelatedly. | Abilities to work cooperatively, express one's opinions logically and show the leadership to lead to the goal |
| E | Empowerment Ability to support clients by giving them powers to promote QOL |
Attitude to be responsible as physical therapists to empower local communities and to promote clients' QOL and with respect and support for their diverse backgrounds | In order for students to learn ethics and responsibilities, develop interests in clients requiring physical therapy and the role of physical therapist in community, and acquire abilities to provide approprioate physical therapy for clients to be able to participate in a community, the curriculum provides specialized major subjects of physical therapy including clinical practices. The learning outcomes will be evaluated by the results of specialized major subjects and clinical practices. | Abilities to understand the relationship with others and have an attitude to actively participate in extra curricular activities, such as volunteer work, with an attitude to willingly learn and act |
| P | Problem-solving Ability to find ways of solving problems and propose better solutions |
Abilities to identify problems and provide better solutions for clients based on scientific assessment of physical therapy | Our curriculum provides liberal arts, specialized fundamental subjects, undergraduate research opportunity, clinical practices, and research practicum. The learning outcomes will be evaluated by the results of research practicum. | Abilities to incorporate others' opinions and think multilaterally in order to make a valid judgment on various issues |
| S | Self-realization Attitude towards the fulfillment of his/her potential |
Attitude to maintain interests in advanced technology and a wide variety of social issues to contribute as part of their lifelong learning in physical therapy | Our curriculum provides specialized major elective subjects; Physical Therapy Seminar and Overseas Field Work, Physical Therapy for Sports Injury, Physical Therapy for Developmental Disorders, Health Promotion for Elderly, Osteoarticular Histopathology, Analysis for Neuromuscular Function, Motor Control Theory, Exercise Physiology. The learning outcomes will be evaluated by the results of specialized major and elective subjects. | Interests in health, medicine, and welfare, and motivation and willingness to engage in becoming a physical therapist |
| Remarks | Refer to University Regulations, Article 1 | Refer to School Manual(Gakusei Binran) | Refer to Guidelines for Applicants(GakuseiBoshu Yohko) | |
| Degree to be awarded | Bachelor of Physical Therapy | |||
Notes: "STEPS" is a acronym formed from the words, which represent "the five requirements" for qualified QOL supporters.
NUHW stands for Niigata University of Health and Welfare.
