Rehabilitation Sciences
Physical Therapy, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Program Description
Physical therapy is a dynamic health profession dedicated to the promotion of optimal health, prevention of disability, and the restoration and maintenance of physical activities that contribute to a successful life. Physical therapy services are provided in a variety of settings, including homes, schools, workplaces, outpatient clinics, and hospitals.
The professional program consists of 108 semester hours of sequenced and integrated didactic and clinical courses. All didactic course work is offered on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. This program begins in the summer of every year. Clinical courses are completed within the state and region.
For further information about the profession of physical therapy, contact the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at (http://www.apta.org).
Graduates of the program receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and are eligible to sit for the national licensure examination upon meeting state licensure requirements.
Program Defined
Physical therapy is a dynamic health profession dedicated to the promotion of optimal health, prevention of disability, and the restoration and maintenance of physical activities that contribute to a successful life. Physical therapy services are provided in a variety of settings, including homes, schools, one’s workplace, outpatient clinics, and hospitals.
Physical therapists provide direct patient service, consultation, education, and are often engaged in research. They also serve in administrative capacities, including supervising and delegating responsibilities to members of the physical therapy service. They work in primary, secondary, and tertiary health care settings. Physical therapists enter practice as generalists and may later become board-certified specialists. Physical therapists work closely with members of a patient’s team. Physical therapists are also engaged in the development of new approaches of intervention that will more effectively meet existing and emerging health needs in society, including health promotion and disability prevention programs.
Physical therapists are dedicated to improving the ability of an individual to function successfully regardless of the reason for disability: disease or trauma, developmental or acquired, acute in nature or chronic. They are effective working with people of any age with a wide variety of functional limitations. Physical therapists also contribute significantly to the development of standards of practice in physical therapy and to the development of relevant health policy.
Physical therapists are eligible to practice once they receive state licensure. One is eligible to sit for the state licensure examination upon graduation from a physical therapy curriculum approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
If you would like to explore physical therapy further, view the following YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8DaTRcCG-k.
Corey Wilson, OU football wide receiver, makes the Journey utilizing our Lokomat equipment as well as our Physical Therapists. View the following YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UioKs6X2Gc. Click on the following link to learn more about our Lokomat equipment: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/story_lokomat.asp.
Admission Requirements
1. Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university prior to enrollment in the program;
2. At a minimum, earn both a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and a 2.75 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale;
3. Complete at least 6 of the 8 departmental prerequisite courses with grades of C or better by the application deadline date; complete the remaining two departmental prerequisite courses with a grade of C or higher prior to enrollment in the program;
4. Document 40 hours of physical therapy observation; due with the on-line application;
5. Submit GRE® General Test (verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing) results by the application deadline date;
6. If English is a second language, submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Applicants must earn a minimum score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (Internet-based) within two years prior to application. The TOEFL Web site is http://www.toefl.org/;
7. If previous coursework was from colleges or universities outside of the US, have all transcripts/mark sheets processed through World Education Services (WES). The WES Web site is http://www.wes.org/; and
8. Submit a completed on-line application. Application deadline is February 1.
Prerequisites
Course numbers and titles are those of the University of Oklahoma. Prerequisite courses are offered at several institutions in the state. Check the prerequisite finder at http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/prereqs/ or with your school advisor regarding equivalent courses.
Click on the following website to use the prerequisite worksheet to keep track of your prerequisite classes: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/Application/dpt_prereq.pdf.
| Course# |
Course
Title |
Credit
Hours |
| PSY 2603 |
Developmental Psychology |
3 |
| CHEM 1315 |
General Chemistry I and Lab |
4-5 |
| ZOO 2234 or 2255 |
Human Anatomy |
4-5 |
| ZOO 2124 |
Human Physiology |
4 |
| ZOO 1114 |
Introduction to Zoology* |
4-5 |
| PHYS 2414 |
Physics I for Life Science Majors |
4 |
| PHYS 2424 |
Physics II for Life Science Majors |
4 |
| PSY 2003 |
Understanding Statistics |
3 |
*or BIOL 1005 - Concepts in Biology
Application Procedure
1. Review and follow the instructions on the College of Allied Health General Instructions for Application document found at the following web site: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/Application/default.asp
2. A letter of acceptance, alternate status, or denial to the Physical Therapy program will be mailed the latter part of April. If notification is not received by May 1, contact the department.
3. The applicant must accept the position in writing within two weeks of notification, or the position will be considered declined. Alternates will be selected according to numerical ranking. Alternates may be admitted up to the first class day for the fall semester if all positions have not been filled.
4. Students accepted for admission are required to confirm their intention to enroll and attend with a $100.00 non-refundable deposit. The deposit is applied toward tuition and fees during the first term.
Cost
Tuition is approximately $3,779.00 per semester for Oklahoma residents. Students may expect additional costs that include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, textbooks, lab fees, insurance and supplies. Students are required to assume financial responsibilities for expenses associated with clinical requirements.
Accreditation
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education awarded accreditation for a period of 10 years 2003 through 2014.
The Physical Therapy program is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association located at 1111 North Fairfax, Fairfax, VA 22314. APTA's phone number is 800-999-2782. The web site is www.apta.org . Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for the physical therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Physical Therapy (NBCPT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be an registered Physical Therapist (PT). Most states require licensure to practice, and state licenses are usually based on the results of the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).
Any arrest, charge, or conviction for a felony or a misdemeanor may not only affect a student's ability to attend certain clinical sites for clinical education and fieldwork, it may also affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification examination or obtain state licensure.
Faculty
College of Allied Health Departmental Faculty
Early Admission Requirements
Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
The early admission option for the physical therapy and occupational therapy programs was created to offer outstanding prospective students the opportunity to secure positions in the program earlier than the normal admissions cycle. Positions are limited, and applicants not admitted will be considered in the regular pool. The application deadline for early admission is December 1.
To be considered for admission, an applicant must:
1. Be in good standing with the college or university last attended or currently attending;
2. Have earned at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average and a 3.75 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale;
3. Have completed the following prerequisite courses with a grade of B or higher by the end of the fall semester preceding the program start date: Developmental Psychology, General Chemistry w/lab, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Intro to Zoology, Physics I, Physics II, and Understanding Statistics;
4. Complete a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university by the end of the spring term preceding the program start date;
5. Have documented 40 hours of observation experience in physical therapy;
6. Submit their Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores by the early admit application deadline and score at least a 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section of the GRE; and
7. Have earned a minimum score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (internet-based) within two years prior to application on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if English is not the first language. TOEFL’s web address is http://www.toefl.org;.
Admission Contingency:
A student admitted to the physical therapy or occupational therapy program must satisfy all admission requirements listed above prior to beginning the program and must maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and a 3.25 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Should a student not fulfill these requirements, the early admission is forfeited and the student may apply through the next regular admissions process.
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