The Doctorate in Physical Therapy degree program provides quality contemporary physical therapy education; to support and empower graduates and educators to exemplify excellence in clinical practice, scholarship, mentorship, leadership, and professionalism; and to engage all stakeholders in employing evidence-based physical therapy that supports and reflects best practice.
Students are alsointroduced early on to the basic tools of investigation in PT (Evidence Based Practice course series). Starting with the clinical decision making process, they learn to utilize literature review and scientific method to support evidence based practice, and the process for utilizing and creating evidence to improve upon the body of knowledge that informs the profession. Basic clinical skills coursework forms the foundation for more advanced clinical courses in diagnosis and management. Faculty teaching the foundational sciences facilitates discussion drawing on research, clinical experiences, and personal/professional activities to model professional behaviors, elucidates psychosocial and ethical issues, and presents a broad application of course content to practice settings. Through clinical cases intermingled within basic science didactic content, students are challenged to apply basic science information to solve clinical problems. Instruction in these basic science areas builds the foundation for the clinical coursework.
Faculty emphasizes utilization of current, evidence-based practices that are built on the foundational sciences and are consistent with published research and clinical outcomes in the diagnosis and management process. Knowledge of the professional aspects of practice is integral to successful hands-on practice, and necessary to become a competent practitioner. Therefore, a series of professional practice courses inculcate a working knowledge of communications, educational methodology and process, culture, ethics, law, health care delivery systems, administration, and the political aspects that influence the field of physical therapy.
***International applicants will be required to submit an official TOEFL score in addition to the other requirements described for consideration. TOEFL/IBT score must be consistent with the standards established by the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) as acceptable for physical therapists desiring to enter practice in the U.S. from a foreign country. The minimum scores to be considered for admission must be a Total Score of 89 with the minimum section requirement of “Speaking” of 26. International applicants will have to complete their credential evaluation [WES International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP)] from the World Education Services (WES) to prove that their education is equivalent to the US undergraduate education and have the report sent to PTCAS.
