Doctor of Physical Therapy, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

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Program Description

The Department of Physical Therapy serves the people of North Carolina and the nation by providing a DPT degree in Physical Therapy. The Department is committed to providing an integrative education program that is well-grounded in the basic, social and clinical sciences in order to produce competent and compassionate clinicians who are skilled in the areas of critical thinking and inquiry, clinical problem-solving, treatment delivery, research, education and management.

The DPT degree will prepare graduates to deliver both primary and interdisciplinary health care to diverse populations within a variety of practice settings and health-care delivery systems. In keeping with the mission of WSSU, the Department of Physical Therapy will develop practitioners who engender the values of social and professional responsibility, leadership, integrity and scholarship, as well as life-long personal and professional development.

Purpose

In keeping with the mission of WSSU, the Physical Therapy Department will develop diverse Doctor of Physical Therapy practitioners who engender the values of social and professional responsibility, integrity, scholarship, and leadership, as well as personal and professional development.

Learning Outcomes

• Provide services to diverse patients and clients who are impaired or have experienced declines in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease, or other causes
• Interact and collaborate with a variety of healthcare professionals to provide the best service to address the needs of the client
• Determine and effectively communicate with a diverse clientele in order to address risk factors that may impede optimal functioning
• Advocate for prevention and promote health, wellness, and fitness to address causes of health disparities
• Engage in critical inquiry to address the needs of patients and clients between the majority culture and ethnic minorities
• Direct and supervise physical therapy services, including support personnel
• Provide services utilizing the art and science of physical therapy (PT) in an autonomous manner

Application Deadline

Physical Therapy application deadline is Tuesday, February 1, 2012. This is a firm deadline. There is no rolling admission process. Applications for admission must be completed through the Centralized Application Service for Physical Therapy (PTCAS). The PT Department will process application only when verified by PTCAS. Admission decisions will officially be communicated through Winston-Salem State University Office of Graduate Admissions. Visit the program’s website for information on how to access PTCAS. NOTE: A seat fee is required for students offered admission to the program.

Transfer Credits

Six credit hours will be accepted from curricula of CAPTE accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy programs from non-core basic or clinical science coursework.

Degree Requirements

A total of one hundred and twenty (122) credit hours and thirty six (36) weeks of clinical practicum hours are required for completion of the DPT degree.

Minimum Grade Requirements

A minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average must be maintained throughout the program.

Time Limits for Completion

The DPT degree may be conferred upon a student who has successfully completed all coursework and clinical internships. Completion of this work is scheduled to occur in December of the third year. The student is eligible to sit for the national licensure board examination immediately upon graduation from the program. The program is step-locked and students must progress with their cohort to completion of the program in three years unless approved by the faculty and chair. 

Progression Requirements

Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA throughout their matriculation in the DPT Program. Students must also pass an integrated comprehensive exam at the end of their first year and score a 70% or higher in order to progress through the curriculum. In order to be eligible for graduation, students must pass a final comprehensive exam with a score of 70% or higher.

Prerequisites

All courses are taught in an established sequence as part of the step-lock progression in the DPT program. In order to proceed through the curriculum, all previous prerequisite courses (previous semester’s courses) must be met successfully with a C or better including Clinical Education Courses.

COURSE SUBJECT	COURSE LEVEL	4-YR *	LAB**	SEMESTER HOURS	ACCEPTABLE COURSES
Psychology	General or College	NO	N/A	3	Psychology: GENERAL
Social or Behavioral Science	General or College	NO	N/A	6	Psychology: Abnormal Psychology: Adolescent Psychology: Child Psychology: Death & Dying Psychology: Developmental Psychology: Human Behavior Psychology: Growth & Dev. Psychology: Life Span Dev. Psychology: Social Psychology: Sports
Statistics	General or College	NO	N/A	3	Biology: Biostatistics Business: Statistics Math: Statistics Psychology: Statistics
Chemistry I	General or College	NO	REQ	4
Chemistry II	General or College	NO	REQ	4
Physics I	General or College	NO	REQ	4
Physics II	General or College	NO	REQ	4
Anatomy & Physiology I	General or College	NO	REQ	4	A&P: SEPARATE courses A&P: COMBINED courses A&P: Human A&P: Mammalian
Anatomy & Physiology II	General or College	NO	REQ	4	A&P: SEPARATE courses A&P: COMBINED courses A&P: Human A&P: Mammalian
Biology I	General or College	NO	REQ	4	Biology: GENERAL
OTHER: Upper Level Biology	Upper Division	YES	NO	3-4	A&P: Exercise Physiology A&P: Path physiology Biology: Embryology Biology: Genetics Biology: Histology Biology: Immunology Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry: Organic Kinesiology

* YES=course must be completed in a 4-year college/university and NOT in a community college.
** REQ=required lab; Rec=recommended lab; NO=lab not required; N/A=not applicable

Additional information about program’s course requirements: WSSU requires that all “hard sciences” are taken in the past 10 years; they are Biology I, Chemistry I and II, Physics I and II, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and Upper Level Biology.

Required Courses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electives

 

 

 
 

Licensure

Graduates of the program will be eligible to take the national licensure examination for physical therapists administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Successful completion of this exam will enable the individual to be licensed as a physical therapist. Licensure is required to practice in the United States. Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to take the national licensure examination and/or obtain state licensure. Persons with concerns should contact:

North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
18 West Colony Place, Suite 140
Durham, NC  27705
Telephone: 800-800-8982 or 919-490-6393
Fax: 919-490-5106
Email: BenMassey@ncptboard.org

Accreditation

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at WSSU offers an entry-level, clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). CAPTE is recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the sole accrediting agency for physical therapist education programs. The next accreditation self study and onsite visit are scheduled for April, 2013.

For additional information concerning the status of this program contact:

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA  22314-1488
Telephone: 703-684-APTA (2782)  
Toll-free: 800-999-2782
TDD: 703-683-6748
Fax: 703-684-7343

Admissions Requirements

Applications must be submitted before the February 1, 2012 deadline. Please make your check, certified check or money order payable to WSSU Admissions/Physical Therapy. Applicants must also include a brief cover page with their full name and ‘PT Applicant’, and submit all documents and the $50 application fee to:

Office of Admissions
Winston-Salem State University
206 Thompson Center
Winston-Salem, NC 27110 

Physical Therapy Observation Hours

Enter your PT observation hours on your PTCAS application. Print the PT Observation Hours form from the PTCAS application or use online PT Hours signature process, if the program requires you to have your hours verified by a physical therapist.  Send signed forms to PTCAS.

PT HOURS	PROGRAM REQUIREMENT
Description of Program’s PT Hours Requirement	PT hours are required - a licensed PT must verify hours with signed form
Total Number of PT Hours REQUIRED	50
Total Number of PT Hours RECOMMENDED
DEADLINE for Completion of All PT Hours YYYY-MM-DD	2012-02-01
PAID Experience	Accepted
VOLUNTEER Experience	Accepted
INPATIENT Experience	Accepted
OUTPATIENT Experience	Accepted
Additional information about program’s PT hours requirement	At least two settings are recommended and higher consideration will be given to applicants with more observation hours and who have observed in a variety of different settings.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement

GPAs will be blank if program data is not available or applicable.

GPA	Minimum GPA	Average GPA for Accepted Students
Overall Undergraduate Cumulative	3.00	3.50
Program-specific Prerequisite	3.00	3.50
Additional information about program’s GPA requirements (if any)	Must have 11/12 pre-requisite courses completed by December of application year.

Foreign Applicants and Transcripts

The program’s foreign (international) transcript policies do NOT apply to study abroad coursework that is itemized on a U.S. college or university transcript. Study abroad is processed in the same way as U.S. coursework.

Program’s citizenship requirements (individuals listed may be eligible for admission)	U.S. citizens U.S. permanent residents Canadian citizens Foreign (non-U.S.) citizens with a visa
Program requires non-native speakers to submit TOEFL scores?	Yes
Program policy for submission of non-U.S. (foreign/international) coursework	Send foreign transcript evaluation to PTCAS
Program policy for CANADIAN coursework	Send foreign evaluation for CANADIAN coursework to PTCAS
Additional information about program’s policy on foreign coursework

Health Requirements

Students who are accepted into the physical therapy program must provide a record of immunization for the following immunizations prior to orientation:

• Rubella
• Diphtheria
• Measles
• Tetanus
• Hepatitis B

In addition to the university requirements, the department requires that you maintain an annual Tuberculosis (TB skin) test as well as a Health Care Provider Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certificate. Immunization records and CPR certification must be completed prior to attendance in a clinical internship.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
 

Is the GRE required?	Required
Program’s GRE College Code for 2011-12 Cycle	7635 (new)
GRE Accepted by Program for 2012-13 Cycle	GRE® General Test and GRE® REVISED General Test accepted
Program’s GRE College Code	# 5909
Last acceptable GRE test date – YYYY-MM-DD (if applicable)	2012-02-01
Oldest GRE score considered – YYYY-MM-DD (if applicable)	2006-03-15

GRE Score Requirements

Composite (verbal & quantitative): Minimum score is 900; Average score for accepted students is 1045.

References: Three (3) references are required. 
 

EVALUATOR TYPE	Applicant must send one reference from this SPECIFIC type of evaluator	Evaluator Type ACCEPTED	Evaluator Type NOT Accepted
Physical Therapist-1	X
Physical Therapist-2		X
Professor in Major		X
Professor	X
Academic		X
Supervisor/Employer		X
Teaching Assistant			X
PTA			X
Pre-PT Advisor		X
Politician/Elected Official		X
Health Care Professional		X
Friend			X
Family Member			X
Co-worker			X
Clergy			X
OTHER			X

Physical Therapy Observation Hours

Enter your PT observation hours on your PTCAS application. Print the PT Observation Hours form from the PTCAS application or use online PT Hours signature process, if the program requires you to have your hours verified by a physical therapist.  Send signed forms to PTCAS. 

PT HOURS	PROGRAM REQUIREMENT
Description of Program’s PT Hours Requirement	PT hours are required - a licensed PT must verify hours with signed form
Total Number of PT Hours REQUIRED	50
Total Number of PT Hours RECOMMENDED
DEADLINE for Completion of All PT Hours YYYY-MM-DD	2012-02-01
PAID Experience	Accepted
VOLUNTEER Experience	Accepted
INPATIENT Experience	Accepted
OUTPATIENT Experience	Accepted
Additional information about program’s PT hours requirement	At least two settings are recommended and higher consideration will be given to applicants with more observation hours and who have observed in a variety of different settings.

 Students seeking admission into the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program must have:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
• A cumulative GPA of 3.00
• Graduate Record Exam within five (5) years of applying for admission
• Completed graduate school application through Physical Therapy Centralized Application System (PTCAS) www.ptcas.org
• Minimum of forty (50) hours of physical therapy observation 
• Three letters of references (one letter must be completed by physical therapy
• Written essay
• Grade of “C” or higher in the prerequisites courses listed above
• Application fee of $50 which must be submitted by check, certified check or money order made payable to: WSSU Admissions/Physical Therapy and mailed to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Winston-Salem State University
206 Thompson Center
Winston-Salem, NC  27110

Faculty

Teresa Conner-Kerr
B.S., Queens College
Ph.D., B.S.P.T., East Carolina University

Robert Cowie
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., East Tennessee State University

Judy Foxworth
B.S., University of Texas Medical Branch
M.S., Temple University
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sara Migliarese
B.S., M.S., Texas Woman’s University
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Lynn Millar
B.S., University of Utah
M.S., Ph.D., Arizona University
M.S.P.T., Andrews University

Sharon Prybylo
B.S., Russell Sage College
D.P.T., Sage Graduate School

Hamdy Radwan
B.Sc., M.Sc., Cairo University
Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University

Nancy Smith
B.A., B.S., M.P.T., D.P.T., Saint Louis University

Dora Sole
B.S., California State University Sacramento
D.P.T., Duke University

Emma White
B.S.P.T., Medical College of Virginia
D.P.T., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Departmental Links

• Graduate Program Webpage
• Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Webpage