Doctor of Physical Therapy

About the Program

UT Southwestern’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program transforms dedicated students into expert physical therapists. We prepare our students to serve the health care needs of their communities with excellence.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy is a full-time, post-baccalaureate program that begins each May. Its unique design gives students a solid foundation in theory, basic science, and professional skills. You’ll also have outstanding opportunities to put concepts into action through clinical practice.

The 31-month curriculum helps students learn and apply scientific theory and professional skills through:

• Focused course work
• Clinical practice
• Clinical experiences (during final summer and fall semester)

Each semester, students complete 12 to 16 credit hours of academics. You’ll also practice your skills under the guidance of expert clinicians.

UT Southwestern Advantage

UT Southwestern’s physical therapy program offers:

• A highly skilled and credentialed faculty of researchers and clinicians
• A powerful 31-month curriculum that blends theory and practice to teach you the science and the professional skills you need to succeed
• Facilities and resources unique to our institution
• Expert clinical mentorship, including three hands-on experiences
• An outstanding licensing-exam passing rate and employment rate after graduation
• A location in one of the nation’s most dynamic cities for business, health care innovation, and the arts

As a UT Southwestern physical therapy graduate, you’ll have the knowledge, skill, and experience to be an autonomous practitioner and build a rewarding long-term career.

Hands-On Experience

You will practice your skills at our outstanding facilities on the UT Southwestern campus, including:

• Aston Ambulatory Care Center
• Parkland Memorial Hospital
• William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital
• Zale Lipshy Pavilion – William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital

In addition to hospital-based rehabilitation care at these locations, we also have several outpatient-based clinics on the UTSW campus and within the community. These clinics are staffed by faculty, advanced physical therapy residents, and specialty staff clinicians.

As a student, you will interact directly with the patients and faculty/clinicians both formally and informally. You will be exposed to a wide range of patient conditions and treatment modalities.

Exam and Employment Success

After completing their clinical experiences, successful students receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and are eligible to sit for the licensure exam in any state. Historically, all of our graduates pass the licensure exam.

After graduation, 100% of our alumni are employed within three months. Graduates currently work in hospital care, rehabilitation, pediatric and senior care, public schools, sports medicine, private practice, and industrial health. They also serve as consultants, teachers, administrators, and researchers.

2021-2022 Student Outcomes

• Graduation Rate - 100%

• Licensure Examination Pass Rate
  
  
  • First time - 93.2%
  • Ultimate - 100%

• Employment Rate - 100%
  
  

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Financial Fact Sheet

Accreditation

The Department of Physical Therapy at UT Southwestern Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org.  If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 214-648-1551 or pt.sshp@utsouthwestern.edu.

Meet the Program Chair