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Introduction to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Whitworth University is designed to educate students with a mind, heart, and hands perspective, creating graduates who are not only excellent clinicians but also excellent humans. The program emphasizes serving humanity through the profession of physical therapy.

Program Features

• Professional formation courses each semester that teach students how to address issues like social injustice and health inequity.
• A faculty that provides more than expert instruction, caring about their students.
• Community involvement, such as work at Union Gospel Mission's shelter for women and children, where students and faculty serve together.

Benefits of the Whitworth DPT Program

• A vibrant campus with access to services and amenities like counseling, health services, student academic support, chapel programs, coffee shops/cafes, a recreation center, and a pool.
• A state-of-the-art health sciences building housing a motion analysis research lab, activities of daily living lab, exercise physiology labs, simulation labs, and more.
• Collaboration with multiple disciplines.
• Exceptional clinical site placement partnerships.
• Hands-on clinical experience beginning in the first semester.

Diverse and Experienced Faculty

The DPT faculty at Whitworth University are APTA-board-certified clinicians in various specialties, including cardiopulmonary, neurological, orthopedic, pediatric, and geriatric rehabilitation. They have worked in settings such as outpatient orthopedics, inpatient rehabilitation, inpatient acute care, home health, pediatric acute care, and outpatient neurorehabilitation. Faculty members are involved in grant-supported research, providing students with opportunities to learn from and participate in research projects.

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Students in the DPT program have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including:

• An on-site teaching clinic and research space with advanced equipment.
• A 12-camera motion capture lab with force plates and portable motion capture equipment.
• Classroom spaces dedicated to DPT classes.
• A well-ventilated, state-of-the-art cadaver lab.

Hands-on Learning Opportunities

The program offers numerous hands-on learning opportunities, including:

• Integrative clinical experiences serving communities that lack access to outpatient neurophysical therapy.
• A volunteer program allowing students to help patients move in inpatient settings at local hospitals.
• Parasport and adaptive climbing equipment to work with individuals with disabilities.
• A health systems course series where students examine community partner policies and help with advocacy and strategies.

Personalized Career Advising

Each student is assigned a faculty mentor who provides career advice and helps navigate the DPT program. Before the final clinical experience, students participate in courses that help assess and compare job offers for pay and benefits.

Curriculum and Course Schedule

The DPT program is an intensive, full-time, 32-month curriculum that includes:

• 115 graduate credit hours.
• Approximately 75% of time in classroom, lab, and simulated patient experiences.
• Approximately 25% of time in clinical experiences across various settings.
• Longitudinal learning threads integrated throughout the curriculum.

Accreditation Status

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Whitworth University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Admission Requirements

The program reviews applications holistically, considering both academic and non-academic factors. Requirements include:

• A bachelor's degree.
• A cumulative and prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Completion of prerequisite courses within the last 10 years.
• Evidence of leadership skills, service, and community engagement.
• Participation in an admissions interview.

Tuition and Expenses

The total anticipated cost for the DPT program is $134,040, which includes tuition and fees. Scholarships and financial aid are available.

Career and Salary Outlook

Physical therapy is a growing field with a projected 15% growth rate. The median annual salary for physical therapists is around $95,620. Graduates can work in various settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, home healthcare, nursing homes, schools, sports facilities, wellness centers, and private practice.

Outcomes and Demographics

The program aims to publish its two-year graduate outcomes upon the completion of the first cohort's coursework and the National Physical Therapy Exam.

Prerequisites

Whitworth University adopts the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) national prerequisite coursework list, which includes:

• Anatomy (with lab).
• Physiology (with lab) or a two-course sequence in anatomy and physiology (with lab).
• General biology with lab (not botany) or upper division courses in genetics, animal physiology.
• General chemistry (with lab).
• General physics (with lab).
• Psychology.
• Statistics (research design and with statistics typically through ANOVAs).