Rehabilitation Sciences MHS

Major: Rehabilitation Sciences
Degree Awarded: Master of Health Science (MHS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.2314
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 29-1123

Note - This program is not accepting applications for the 2023-24 Academic year. 

About the Program

Individuals cannot enroll directly in the Master of Health Science in Rehabilitation Sciences program. Requirements for the degree completion include successful completion of 45.0 credit hours concluding with a case study or a clinical project.

Upon completion of the MHS program, graduates will be prepared to:

  • Analyze the impact of injury or disease process on musculoskeletal or neuromuscular function within a specific population, including orthopedics, pediatrics and hand rehabilitation.
  • Improve their practice through clinical decision-making that is consistent with concepts of health promotion, client-centered care and current best evidence.
  • Facilitate the transfer of health care policy and research findings into clinical practice.
  • Evaluate methods of service delivery and intervention strategies and procedures at individual and program levels.
  • Serve effectively as clinical educators and consultants to consumers and colleagues.
  • Engage in professional life-long learning and contribute to the field of rehabilitation.

Additional Information

 For more information, visit the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences webpage.

Degree Requirements (MHS)

Core Requirements
RSCH 519Introduction to Biostatistics3.0
PTRS 650Motor Control and Learning Rehabilitation3.0
PTRS 651Applied Tissue Biomechanics3.0
PTRS 721Teaching Concepts in Rehabilitation3.0
PTRS 758Evidence-Based Rehabilitation4.0
Concentration
Students select a minimum of 16-18 credits in one of the following concentrations.16.0-18.0
Hand and Upper Quarter Rehabilitation Concentration Options
Foundations in Hand Therapy
Upper Quarter Joint Pathology
Nerve Injuries of the Upper Quarter
Diseases That Affect the Hand
Pediatrics Concentration Options *
Issues in Pediatric Health & Rehabilitation
Pediatric Decision Making
Pediatric Clinical Application
Selected Topics in Pediatrics
Orthopedics Concentration Options *
Advanced Musculoskeletal Anatomy
Spinal Rehabilitation
Extremity Rehabilitation
Foundations in Hand Therapy
Upper Quarter Joint Pathology
Nerve Injuries of the Upper Quarter
Diseases That Affect the Hand
Biomechanics in Rehabilitation
Biomechanics in Human Movement
Introduction to Movement Science
Electives *11.0
Pharmacotherapeutics
Teaching Practicum II
Independent Study
Final Project
PTRS 786MHS Final Project I1.0-2.0
PTRS 787MHS Final Project II1.0-2.0
Total Credits45.0-49.0
*

Additional courses (as approved). Number of credits required for electives is dependent upon total credits in concentration selected. Contact the Rehabilitation Sciences Master of Health Science Program for more details.

Facilities

Teaching Facilities and Resources

Classes are held in lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories or in clinical and research facilities on the University City campus of Drexel University.  The Health Sciences Building (HSB) is where the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (PTRS) is located along with other programs in the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) and the College of Medicine. PTRS has two state-of-the-art dedicated laboratories where the clinical components of the professional curriculum are taught. In these laboratories, equipment reflects current physical therapy practice and is part of a multi-disciplinary clinical learning and resource center. Included as part of the resource center is a standardized patient lab that utilizes paid actors to simulate various clinical situations while students' interactions with those "patients" are monitored by supervising faculty. This center provides a rich environment for student learning.  

PTRS also maintains a human anatomy lab in the HSB where students dissect human cadavers during the first two terms of the program. Additional elective coursework may be conducted in the anatomy labs. The gross anatomy lab is a modern, fully equipped facility providing a state-of-the-art dissection laboratory with medical visualization technologies. The facility allows DPT students to focus on the anatomy most relevant to physical therapy while making relevant connections to clinical practice and integrating with other courses.

The DPT program uses its own faculty-staffed clinical sites as well as various clinical sites in the area to enhance the educational experience of the student. The department operates outpatient physical therapy sites in the Drexel Recreation Center on the University City campus and a pro-bono practice in the 11th Street Family Health Center. Students rotate through these facilities getting individualized mentoring while connecting classroom content with clinical practice. These experiences are in addition to the 33 weeks of full-time clinical education the student will experience throughout the curriculum.

The entire Drexel campus has wireless capability and all courses are linked to the learning platform, Blackboard Learn.  

Research Facilities

The Department conducts hypothesis-driven research in biomechanics, motor control, neuromuscular plasticity, rehabilitation and functional outcomes, community-based practice, and family-centered care across the lifespan. The research space is a large, multidisciplinary center in the Health Sciences Building close to classrooms and other clinical labs. The facilities include a gait and running lab and a human performance and aging lab each containing a motion capture system with in-floor force plates, neuromuscular performance labs equipped with custom-built force measuring systems, EMG system, and electromagnetic motion tracking systems, and an instrumented treadmill motion analysis lab. 

Research is conducted via partnerships with organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. Other departments involved in research in the College include Nutrition Sciences, Nursing, Counseling and Family Therapy, and Creative Arts Therapy which provides fertile ground for collaboration. DPT students have the opportunity to work with faculty and PhD students on ongoing laboratory projects through elective coursework.

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty

Benjamin Binder-Markey, PT, DPT, PhD (Northwestern University, University of Delaware). Assistant Professor. Skeletal muscle adaptations after injury and disease; muscle adaptation effects on physical function; musculoskeletal computational models; neurological rehabilitation.
Heather L. Brossman, DHSC, PT, DPT, MS Board Certified Cardiopulmonary Clinical Specialist, Board-Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist (Temple University) Associate Director of Clinical Education. Assistant Professor. Acute care, preschool and school-based practice, early intervention, cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders, complex conditions, participation of children with multiple disabilities, physical activity.
Sudeshna A. Chatterjee, PT, PhD (University of Florida). Assistant Professor. Aging, Neurorehabilitation, Functional Neuroimaging, Non-invasive Brain Stimulation.
Lisa Ann Chiarello, PT, PhD, PCS, FAPTA (Hahnemann University) Executive Director, DPT Program, Director, Doctor of Health Science in Rehabilitation Sciences Rehabilitation Programs. Professor. Pediatric community-based practice; family-centered care; determinants of outcomes; and participation of children with physical disabilities.
Margaret Finley, PT, PhD (University of Maryland). Associate Professor. Upper extremity movement patterns in persons with chronic neuromuscular disorders.
Kevin E. Gard, PT, DPT, Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (Temple University) Vice-Chair, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences and Director of Operations, Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Clinical Professor. Orthopedics; sports medicine.
Noel Goodstadt, PT, DPT, Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (Temple University) Director of Human Gross Anatomy, Director of Residency Programs. Associate Clinical Professor. Orthopaedic injuries of the shoulder, knee, and back, and innovation for human performance and function.
Robert C. Hand, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist (Saint Joseph's University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Neurologic disorders, primarily chronic and neurodegenerative diagnoses, advocacy and accessibility, promotion of skilled maintenance and wellness, and emerging technologies in neurologic rehabilitation.
Robert Maschi, PT, DPT, Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (Temple University). Associate Clinical Professor. Orthopedics, musculoskeletal disorders, lower extremity biomechanics and movement analysis.
Clare Milner, PhD, FACSM (University of Durham, University of Leeds) Director, Graduate Programs in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Associate Professor. Gait biomechanics; overuse injuries in runners; functional independence in gait and activities of daily living in clinical populations.
Lynette Montgomery, PT, PhD (University of Queensland, The Ohio State University). Assistant Professor. Motor Control and rehabilitation after neurological injury, mechanisms of neuroplasticity and recovery of locomotion following neurological injury.
Annalisa Na, PT, DPT, PhD, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (University of Delaware). Assistant Research Professor. Interactions of multimorbidity diseases on functional outcomes in older adults
Stephen Samendinger, PhD (Michigan State University). Associate Teaching Professor. Psychosocial aspects of physical activity and healthy lifestyles, motivation: group dynamics, identity, physical activity determinants and responses.
Sara Tomaszewski, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (Duke University). Clinical Instructor. Orthopedics and sports physical therapy, injury prevention, and return-to-sport decision making.
Sarah Wenger, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (Arcadia University; Temple University) Coordinator, Professional Practice Lab. Assistant Clinical Professor. Health, wellness and fitness, models for preventative physical therapy, dance medicine.
Glenn Williams, PT, PhD, Board-Certified Athletic Trainer (University of Delaware) Chair, Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences. Associate Professor. Neuromuscular plasticity after joint injury, orthopaedic-sports rehabilitation, human performance, post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Emeritus Faculty

Margo Orlin, PT, PhD, FAPTA (Drexel University). Associate Professor Emeritus. Walking and running biomechanics and participation in children with developmental disabilities, evaluation of enhancing participation for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.
Robert J. Palisano, PT, ScD, FAPTA (Boston University). Distinguished Professor. Classification and prognosis for gross motor function in children and youth with cerebral palsy; interventions to improve activity and participation in children with physical disabilities; transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities.
Patricia Rubertone, PT, MPT, MSW, EdD (Widener University) Director of Experiential Learning. Associate Clinical Professor Emerita. Student learning; course design; judgment of physical therapy student clinic performance by novice vs. experienced clinical instructors.
Susan Smith, PT, PhD (University of Connecticut, Texas Woman's University). Associate Professor and Dean Emerita. Geriatrics: health promotion and interventions for manifestations of low bone mass; assessment of fall risk and fall prevention interventions for older adults
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