General Program Description

The physical therapy program is selective and admits students for the entry-level DPT to begin matriculation in the spring semester. Students who are accepted into the program must be enrolled on a full-time basis for each of the nine semesters; this includes summers and inter-sessions. The physical therapy courses are arranged in a prescribed sequence that students must follow and may not be taken prior to admission to the DPT program. The DPT is offered as a non-thesis option requiring successful completion of 127 credit hours (84 credit hours of coursework and 43 credit hours of clinical education).

Clinical Experiences
The DPT program has a total of 48 weeks of clinical experiences. This includes clinical practica of 3 weeks for semester two (summer), and 4 weeks for semester four (spring), and 4 weeks for the second summer intersession, for a total of 11 weeks. A 12-week internship occurs in semester six (fall, a 10-week advanced internship takes place in semester seven (spring), and a 15-week internship takes place in semester nine (fall).

Faculty
There are seven full-time core faculty positions, two part-time College of Medicine faculty positions and one part-time College of Pharmacy position. Of the full-time core faculty six hold post-professional doctoral degrees, one holds a DPT, one is certified as a hand therapist, and one is engaged in clinical practice. Clinical practice is expanding and several of the faculty want to participate in the clinic environment.

Enrollment
The university has an enrollment of approximately 15,234 students. The physical therapy program admits 32-34 students into the DPT program each year, with each class beginning in January (spring semester).

Admission
Eligibility requirements for consideration for the DPT program include: a bachelor’s degree, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (general sections), three letters of recommendation (at least one from a licensed physical therapist), an interview, a writing sample, a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.7 (on a 4.0 scale), a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the prerequisite courses with no grade in a prerequisite course below a “C” (2.0). However, for the 2011 class, the overall GPA was a 3.5 and the overall pre-requisite GPA was a 3.4. GRE scores ranged from 1,000 – 1,480. Prerequisite courses include 3 semester hours of statistics; 3-4 semester hours in each: human anatomy, human physiology, exercise physiology; 6 semester hours of psychology; 8 semester hours in each: biology, chemistry, and physics (all w/ labs). There is no specific number of clinical hours required, however, each applicant is expected to have thoroughly investigated the scope and profession of physical therapy. All application materials must be received in the School of Graduate Studies by July 1. Early submission of materials is highly recommended.

Outcomes
100% of matriculating students graduate from the program. From year-to-year, 96% – 100% of graduates have passed the licensure exam. 100% of students eligible for employment have been employed within 6 months of graduation after having passed the licensure exam.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Graduate tuition/fees for the 2009-2010 school year are approximately $ 3,500 per semester for full-time in-state students and $9,700 per semester for full-time out-of-state students. The department offers two tuition scholarships and two half-time Graduate Assistantships in each entering class (available for a maximum of two years). Second year students are eligible to apply for the William M. “Mac” Hensley Endowed Scholarship and the Stanton Family Scholarship. For information on financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at 423/439-4300.

Student life
ETSU is nestled in the mountains of east Tennessee. Students with an interest in outdoor activities will find them in abundance either locally or in close proximity to the campus. The Center for Physical Activity offers two indoor squash/racquetball courts, basketball courts, indoor track, pool, aerobic facility, free weights, and cardio and strength building equipment. The Physical Therapy Department is housed in a historic building on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Hospital grounds along with the Quillen College of Medicine. The campus is parklike in that it has wide expanses of grass and has a significant number of trees all with a view of the mountains. Students have easy access to the Medical School Library and computer lab with computers, a printer, and a scanner dedicated to the PT students.