Physical Therapy

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Mary Ellen Oesterle, Department Chair
Wil Kolb, Graduate Program Director
Renee Huth, Director of Clinical Health
See Graduate Faculty list at:
http://gradcollege.asp.radford.edu/faculty.html

Doctoral Program

Radford University offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T). RU’s Department of Physical Therapy aspires to prepare responsive and engaged professionals who will lead by example by providing best practice care. The program’s vision parallels the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA’s) 2020 vision that physical therapy will be provided by doctors of physical therapy and that physical therapists will be recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as practitioners of choice for the diagnosis, intervention, and prevention of impairments, functional limitations and disabilities related to movement, function and health.

Application procedures, admission criteria, course descriptions, faculty information, and degree requirements are published on the D.P.T. website available at http://pt.asp.radford.edu/admission_requirements2.html.

Contact Dr. Mary Ellen Oesterle (moesterle@radford.edu), chair of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Waldron College of Health and Human Services, for further information. This program will be housed in Roanoke, Va.

Accreditation

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Admission Requirements

• Completion of the Radford University graduate application process and application fee. See http://gradcollege.asp.radford.edu/index.html.
• The following are the prerequisites required prior to entry into the D.P.T. program. No transfer credit will be allowed into the professional program. Admission is competitive.
  • Minimum of 40 hours of observation/work-related clinical experience.
  • Minimum Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score of 1100.
  • Foreign applicants whose native language is not English must achieve an acceptable score on TOEFL examination (575 paper based, 88-89 internet) or the IELTS (6.5 band).
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 (based on 4.0 scale) from an accredited 4 year institution.
• A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (based on 4.0 scale) in math and sciences prerequisites as defined below:
  • Anatomy and Physiology with labs (4 credit hours)
  • Biology with labs (8 credit hours)
  • Chemistry with labs (8 credit hours)
  • Physics with labs (8 credit hours)
  • Statistics or Biostatistics (3 credit hours)
• Recommended, but not required, courses:
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Biochemistry
  • Biomechanics
  • Kinesiology
  • Public Speaking
  • Technical Writing
• Completed essay
• Three letters of recommendation specifically addressing the applicant’s potential for success in the D.P.T. program from:
  • 1 Academic/Educational reference
  • 1 Physical Therapist reference
  • 1 Work-Related/Volunteer reference
• Personal interviews may be required.
• Prior to initial enrollment, verification of required immunization, CPR certification, and completion of a criminal background check. Applicants are reminded that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s opportunity to attain state licensure and/or administration of licensure examinations. Applicants seeking additional information are encouraged to review information on the following websites:
  • Virginia State Police Criminal Records Check http://www.vsp.state.va.us/CJISCriminalRecordCheck.shtm
  • Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy http://www.fsbpt.org/index.asp.

Return to: Waldron College of Health and Human Services