Collaboration program with New York Medical College
(4:3, 3:3)
Bachelor of Arts in Biology from MSMC
Doctorate in Physical Therapy from New York Medical
College
Overview
The physical therapy program offered at Mount Saint Mary College
consists of two parts. Upon completion of the program the student
will have earned a bachelor of arts in biology from Mount Saint
Mary College and a doctorate in physical therapy from New York
Medical College (NYMC).
The typical program for most students will be a 4:3 program. In
this program, students will complete their bachelor’s degree at the
Mount while taking the prerequisite courses for entrance into the
physical therapy program at NYMC. Upon meeting the requirements of
the program, candidates will make application to NYMC. After
successful completion of the program, students will be awarded a
doctorate in physical therapy from NYMC.
Through a special agreement with NYMC, those students whose
academic performance is outstanding can apply for admissions to
NYMC after attending only three years at the Mount. Upon the
completion of the first year at NYMC the student will be awarded a
bachelor of arts in biology from Mount Saint Mary College. After
completing the program at NYMC the student will be awarded a
doctorate in physical therapy from NYMC. For further
information, visit the NYMC
website.
Physical Therapy/Biology at the Mount
Opportunities outside of the classroom. You
could be a student rep at division meetings, an officer in the
biology and chemistry honor societies, or participate with the
American Chemical Society student affiliate chapter on campus.
Students organize speakers, museum tours, hiking trips, campus
activities like faculty vs. student quiz bowl, and science night
for elementary school students. You’ll get involved in things you
enjoy, meet new people, interact with the faculty, and develop your
leadership skills.
A strong peer group. Biology majors quickly
become a part of the science community at the Mount. Students who
have majors within the Division of Natural Science take their math
and science classes together and quickly form study groups,
supporting one another in their courses.
Peer tutoring. Science majors work together
toward a successful college career as upper-classmen serve as peer
tutors, and all students have the opportunity to get help to
support their learning efforts. Tutoring can provide you with
income and help you to build your resume and strengthen your
knowledge base.
Research. All full time faculty members have
PhD degrees in a variety of different fields and can offer you the
opportunity to develop a research project which will help you to
apply your coursework to real problems. A research project will
enhance your knowledge and ability to integrate your learning and
will impress graduate schools and future employers, giving you an
edge when you move on from your studies at The Mount.
Learning science as a process. Many of our
laboratory courses use inquiry-based collaborative learning to
introduce students to the process of science and give you an idea
of what scientific research is all about.
Mentoring. All science students are assigned a
full-time faculty advisor to help you explore career options, plan
your course schedule and follow your academic progress. New
freshmen are assigned a “science sibling” before coming to campus
so that they have the opportunity to ask questions of an
upperclassman student to student.
Related programs
Biology, chemistry, podiatry, Interdisciplinary
studies - general science, Education certification (adolescent, childhood), 5-year biology BA/MS in Ed
Program requirements
The following prerequisite courses are taken during the first
three years of study at Mount Saint Mary College and represent the
minimum prerequisites for entrance into NYMC:
- Three courses in biology, including Human Anatomy &
Physiology I/II
- Sixteen credits in chemistry including two semesters of
chemical principles and two semesters of organic chemistry
- Two semesters of calculus
- Two courses in calculus-based physics (with lab)
- Two courses in psychology
- One course in statistics
To be eligible for our special admissions agreement with NYMC,
students must earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in their freshman
year and after the completion of 50 credits the student’s GPA
should be a 3.2 or higher. At the time of application, the minimum
GPA in prerequisite courses must be a 3.0.
Throughout the course of the program a student is only permitted
to earn one (1) grade lower than a B-. All remaining courses must
be B’s or higher. Students must also demonstrate computer literacy
and have acquired 50 hours of on-site volunteer observational
experience in a physical therapy setting, of which 20 hours must be
in an acute care/hospital environment. Candidates must also be
certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
After these requirements are met, the student then applies and
interviews for admission into the physical therapy program at New
York Medical College.
Within 30 days of the distribution of final grades for each
spring semester, the Physical Therapy Advisory Committee will meet
to review the progress of all physical therapy candidates. Those
students who have not met the minimum requirements for the program
will be notified that they will no longer be considered to be part
of the program. If the student wishes to reapply to the program
they must remediate whatever deficiencies they have. Upon this
remediation it is necessary for the student to send a letter to the
coordinator of the physical therapy program, explaining why they
were dismissed and why the committee should reconsider their
candidacy. This letter should be accompanied with a copy of their
most recent transcript.
The strength of our agreement with New York Medical College lies
in the understanding that the college advisory committee only
recommends those students they feel are truly capable of completing
the program. It is understood by NYMC that the vast majority of the
prerequisite courses will be taken at Mount Saint Mary College.
Students are only permitted to take one prerequisite course or
course sequence at a different school. If a student needs to repeat
a course, that course must be taken at Mount Saint Mary College
within the next academic year and a grade of B or higher must be
achieved. Transfer students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their major
and prerequisite courses. Prior course work will be evaluated by
the committee on an individual basis.
Career Options
Modern physical therapists are prepared to treat patients
ranging in age from infants to the elderly. Their work is performed
in settings as diverse as outpatient clinics, schools, and
specialized departments within hospitals. Within these settings,
physical therapists assist patients in dealing with problems such
as orthopedic maladies (neck and back pain, the rehabilitation of
joints following corrective surgery and assisting patients in pain
reduction and increased mobility) and aiding patients in regaining
an acceptable quality of life (the result of developmental
abnormalities, disease, following severe accidents, heart attacks,
or strokes).
Within the context of today’s health care system, physical
therapists are specialized in examining and treating individuals
with impairment of their daily lives, the result of musculoskeletal
and neuromuscular problems. To prepare for the demands of such a
profession, students must attend a postgraduate program of physical
therapy and, upon the successful completion of that program, they
are required to pass a national examination and be licensed in the
state in which they wish to practice.
Students in the biology/physical therapy track at the Mount will
be prepared to apply to physical therapy programs within and
outside of our articulation with New York Medical College. They can
also easily switch their career goals without requiring any extra
courses for graduation from the Mount.
Career Outlook
The US Department of Labor predicts that the physical therapy
profession will increase at a faster rate than other professions
through 2014. As of 2004 the median salary for a physical therapist
is $60,1801.