DPT Student Life

Students join our program with a wide variety of academic and cultural backgrounds and experiences. The program fosters an environment where we can all learn from one another - faculty, students, and staff. We also participate in numerous outreach events targeted to medically, economically, or educationally disadvantaged populations in the physical therapy profession.

Serving Our Community

We offer elective opportunities to provide care from the Mission District in the heart of the city to an international experience in Malawi. Students can also participate in the Saturday UCSF Community Clinic at the Mission Bay Faculty Practice and Health & Wellness Center and get involved in student government and groups.

DPT and other health professions students participating in an iterprofessional session at UCSF

Community Event Approval Process

Students interested in providing health information or counseling to the public, or performing a hands-on procedure at any community or health event that is not part of a class, are required to obtain approval first from the DPT program directors, and then get sponsorship and approval for the event from a registered campus organization (RCO).

Two Universities, Three Campuses, and a Wide Range of Resources

Our program offers the best of both universities - access to world-renowned medical facilities and a focus on social justice. We're in the heart of San Francisco with great restaurants, cultural activities, and opportunities to get out into nature when you're not in class.

UCSF Student Lifehas information on registered campus student groups, basic needs assistance, student veteran/military support services, and more! 

The Division of Student Life at SFSU (DSL) believes every student should belong and matter, has the capacity to live a purposeful life, and can positively impact the world.

For more information and maps of each campus:

sf

Additional Learner Resources

Student Disability Services (SDS) and Accommodations

Both UCSF and SFSU are committed to providing equal access to all of their programs, services, and activities for learners with all types of permanent and temporary disabilities, including physical, psychological, learning, and sensory disabilities, AD/HD, and chronic health conditions. We encourage applicants and current learners with disabilities to engage in a conversation early with UCSF Student Disability Services (SDS) to discuss what accommodations are possible. UCSF’s Student Disability Services (SDS) and SFSU’s Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) facilitate equal access by coordinating reasonable accommodations and support services.

Reasonable accommodations are modifications or adjustments to a job, the work/learning environment, or in the way things are customarily done, that enables a qualified person with a disability to have equal employment and education opportunities. Examples include adjustments to exam administration, services such as note-takers or sign language interpreters, assistive technologies, and coordination of accessible housing.

If you have a disability, please contact UCSF SDS to engage in a confidential, interactive process for determining accommodations for the classroom and/or clinical setting. The full registration process and necessary forms are outlined on the SDS website or you can contact SDS directly at 415-502-6595 or via email at [email protected].

If you are eligible for accommodations, the UCSF SDS Director will issue you a letter which you will need to give to your course director(s) at the start of each term in which you are requesting accommodations. SDS will provide a copy of your letter to the program co-directors and student affairs officer. Please also be sure to submit your letter to SFSU’s DPRC to access the recommended accommodations at SFSU. Note that accommodations recommended by UCSF’s SDS will be honored and coordinated by the SFSU DPRC. Accommodations are not provided retroactively.

Student Housing

Living on campus is often the best option for students, especially when moving to the
Bay Area. In addition to convenience, on-campus housing advantages include:
• below-market rates                                • no application fees
• no long-term rental contracts                • no credit checks/deposits/reference checks
• access to free UCSF shuttles              
• community events                           

Apply as soon as possible - space is limited. You can also apply to Academe 198, UCSF’s
newest housing community, operated by UC Law SF.

Interested in off-campus living? Explore UCSF Housing's Off-Campus Resource Page.

Student Success Centers & Libraries

The UCSF Student Success Center (SSC) provides information on a wide range of services including Basic Needs, First Generation Services, Guardian Scholars, Learning Resource Services, Office of Career and Professional Development, Registered Campus Organizations, Student Rights and Responsibilities, Synapse (the student run newspaper), and Student Veteran and Military Support Services. The Resources for College of Health & Social Sciences (CHSS) Students page is a hub for resources at SFSU including Student Outreach & Academic Retention, Peer2Peer Mentor Collective, Advising, Basic Needs Initiatives and more.

You will have full access to the libraries at both universities, and may use these resources for course textbooks and materials.

Health and Counseling Services

All learners in the program must have health insurance while enrolled. Those who elect to use the UCSF Student Health Insurance Plan will have insurance under UCSHIP. Learners who have other insurance may opt out of the UCSHIP by applying for a waiver. All learners have access to confidential free counseling and psychological services at UCSF and low-cost counseling services at SFSU. Both universities offer a wide range of resources to support your health and wellbeing – at UCSF, check out Student Mental Health and Wellbeing, and at SFSU there is Counseling & Psychological Services and Student Health Services.

Fitness

Included in the UCSF registration fees is a membership to the fitness centers at both UCSF Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses. SFSU also has several facilities including the Mashouf Wellness Center, though use of the center requires an additional fee to access, as registration fees are only paid to SFSU during the second and third summers in the program.

Career Services

The UCSF Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) offers a number of resources related specifically to the physical therapy profession, including sample resumes/CVs, cover letters, interview questions; programming and online resources on interviewing/negotiation, job networking, communication skills, and career exploration; and confidential individual appointments to discuss your professional and career development. The Office also hosts a job posting site for physical therapy positions.

The SFSU Career Center offers access to information regarding resume writing, networking and informational interviewing, navigating the job offer process, career assessments, and individual appointments with a career counselor.

Conference Registration Awards

The program may provide limited funds, dependent upon availability, for conference registration fees if you are presenting at a professional conference. If you are interested, please discuss the opportunity with your faculty or research advisor and get approval first, including checking availability of funds through the operations team at least ten (10) working days in advance of the conference date. You will need to pay the conference registration fees using your own funds and then request reimbursement through the operations team request form. After you attend the conference, we also ask that you send a one-paragraph summary of your experience to the department's communication manager for a spotlight article for the program’s website or newsletter.

Cohort Leadership Structure

Within the UCSF and SFSU communities, each cohort/class may be called upon to represent the program and to act as liaisons with the faculty, peers, other organizations, and associations on both campuses. 

Class Officers 

Each cohort is expected to handle its own group’s needs, which can be managed through a class leadership structure. Leadership roles should include:

  1. Class President (or similar title)/Vice President or Co-Presidents present the cohort’s questions, decisions, or desires to instructors and/or Program Director(s); appoint leads for various projects and responsibilities; may attend faculty meetings; assist administration with programming and communication.

  2. Secretary/Treasurer/Steward keeps minutes of class meetings and is responsible for managing the finances of the cohort.

  3. GPSA and SSF Advisory Committee Representative represents DPT students in the Graduate  Professional Student Association (GPSA), which serves the collective interests of graduate and professional students at UCSF in order to improve student life, and the Student Services Fee (SSF) Advisory Committee, which ensures that the proposed fees are used in the students’ best interest and in compliance with policies and guidelines.

  4. APTA/CPTA/Golden Gate District and CASSIG Representative represents the student body at 1-2 of the APTA, CPTA, Golden Gate and/or California Student Special Interest Group (CASSIG) meetings annually; disseminates announcements from the professional associations regarding events, volunteer/leadership opportunities, conferences, networking opportunities, and con-ed courses. 

  5. Alumni Relations Representative represents their cohort at alumni gatherings (e.g., UCSF alumni weekend, CSM alumni events if attending), liaises with the Program Director and Rosie Dillon, the DPT program’s UDAR representative; this role is open to growth opportunities.

  6. Social Media Chair manages the UCSF/SFSU DPT social media pages. 

Cohorts are welcome to have additional leadership roles. Group activities depend upon each cohort’s interests and goals, and class visibility at each university depends upon the collective efforts of the cohort. It is expected that the class will take the initiative in and be responsible for organizing their own extracurricular activities and seek guidance from registered campus organizations (RCOs) and faculty as appropriate. 

Additional projects may include but are not limited to organizing fundraisers (with guidance from the GPSA) for class projects; giving tours or recruitment presentations to prospective students; forming or joining group sports teams; taking on “campus or professional causes”; organizing short classes and review sessions to enhance peer learning; or participating in health fairs or other community and outreach activities.

Class Officer Appointments & Qualifications

All class officers are required to meet the following academic and professional expectations to be nominated and maintain their elected roles. 

  1. Overall cumulative of at least 3.0 GPA, and 3.0 GPA at both institutions.
  2. Meet the program’s professional expectations at all times.

Learners on academic notice at the time of elections may not run for a leadership position. If an elected class officer does not satisfy the expectations above for two consecutive academic terms, they will be required to step down. This is not viewed as disciplinary, but rather as a supportive effort to help the learner succeed in reaching their academic goals. 

Student Governance Committee 

At least two representatives from each cohort (any class officers listed above or other learners whom the cohort selects) will meet twice a year with the Program Directors to exchange ideas and updates. This provides a consistent, collaborative forum where learners provide feedback and contribute to shaping program policies, initiatives, and curricular adjustments. This ensures that students’ experiences and insights inform program decisions and also offers faculty and leadership the opportunity to share updates, gather input, and clarify academic or administrative developments directly with students.

Objectives

  • Promote shared decision-making between students and program administrators

  • Strengthen community across cohorts by fostering inter-cohort connections, collaboration, and mentorship opportunities 

  • Support continuous improvement by providing Program Directors and faculty with real-time feedback on program strengths, areas for growth, and emerging student needs

Structure and Format

Meetings may occur virtually or in-person twice a year during Spring and Fall terms and are approximately 90 minutes. Each session will feature shared agenda setting to ensure balanced input from both student and program leadership.

  1. A joint agenda will be finalized and distributed at least one week prior to each meeting:
    • Two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting a call for agenda items will be announced
    • Student representatives will collect discussion topics from their cohorts (via survey or shared document).
    • Program leadership/faculty will prepare key updates and identify topics needing student feedback or input.
  2. Meeting agenda example:
    • Welcome and overview – 5 minutes
    • Leadership addresses any questions related to their updates – 15 minutes
    • Students provide context to their discussion topics as needed – 30 minutes
    • General discussion, problem-solving – 30 minutes
    • Summarize next steps and follow-up commitments – 10 minutes
  3. Post-meeting follow-up:
    • Summary notes will be shared with all cohorts and faculty within one week.
    • Action items and responsible parties will be clearly identified.
    • Updates on action items and progress on unresolved topics will be reviewed at the subsequent session.

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