Samuel Merritt University places students in clinical settings including, but not limited to, academic teaching hospitals, community hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, acute rehabilitation facilities, California Children’s Services, home health agencies, private practice and hospital-based outpatient clinics, Veteran’s Affairs medical centers and clinics, adult day centers or programs, and school-based pediatric settings. All students will graduate with at least 10 weeks of full-time experience in both an inpatient and an outpatient practice setting. Additional placements provide exposure to the broad array of potential physical therapist practice settings.
Our placements include practice settings in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, with some placements throughout California and the United States. International placements are not offered for clinical experiences; however, students may participate in volunteer opportunities organized through SMU’s International Healthcare Club.