Introduction
Physical Therapy is a healthcare profession that primarily focuses on the preservation, development and restoration of optimal function. Physical therapists provide evaluative, rehabilitative and preventive health care services designed to alleviate pain; prevent the onset and progression of impairment, functional limitation, disability resulting from injury, disease or other causes; and restore, maintain and promote overall fitness, health and optimal quality of life. Physical therapists work with individuals of all ages who demonstrate movement dysfunction, or the potential for such dysfunction, of the neurological, musculoskeletal, sensorimotor and cardiopulmonary systems.
Physical therapists practice in a hospital setting or provide services in out-of-hospital settings through home health agencies, in nursing homes, in industrial settings, through public health agencies, in private physical therapy clinics, in public schools and in a variety of other nontraditional settings.
Goals and Objectives
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program provides learning experiences that will enable each student to develop the competencies necessary as a physical therapist to meet the current and future physical therapy needs of society. At the completion of the program the graduate will function as a provider of physical therapy services within the scope of the profession and the culturally diverse healthcare system. Further, the graduate will strive for continued development personally and in the profession through participation in clinical, educational, research, professional and community activities.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
- more than 50% of the core faculty are ABPTS board certified specialists, including cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics and pediatrics
- opportunities for students to practice across the country with nearly 550 clinical affiliation sites
- full time clinical experiences (total of 40 weeks) are integrated throughout the 3 year curriculum
- More information can be found on our DPT Fact Sheet