General Program Description

Graduate students are prepared as physical therapist generalists in a unique interdisciplinary environment. The professional curriculum runs for eleven consecutive quarters. The program structure is eight quarters of didactic instruction followed by 32 weeks of clinical internship. It is a full-time day program. The average credit load per quarter is 15 credits. Students spend approximately 45 hours per week divided between class time and study. For more details, visit the program website .

Clinical Experiences
A 4-week full-time clinical clerkship experience is scheduled between the first and second year. In addition, the final quarters of the program are devoted to three 10-11-week internships. The curriculum is affiliated with more than 600 clinics nationwide, serving a large variety of patients in many settings, primarily hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practices, specialty clinics, and public schools. Students should be prepared for the extra travel/housing costs to out-of-area clinics. Competition for selected local clinics is keen because their capacity for physical therapy interns is limited.

Faculty
The core PT faculty is comprised of twelve full-time and three part-time members with a balanced array of knowledge area strengths (kinesiology/biomechanics, anatomy, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and geriatrics). See the program website for faculty biographies.

Enrollment
A class of 45 full-time post baccalaureate students will be admitted to the doctoral professional physical therapy educational program once each year in the autumn quarter (September/October). Normally, 700 qualified applicants compete for the available positions.

Admission
Admitted students must be United States citizens or US permanent residents who have completed a bachelor’s degree. Updated program information and applications are available in the spring. The UW DPT program participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). The application deadline is mid-December, with notice of admission by the end of February. Separate simultaneous application to the University of Washington Graduate School and GRE scores are required. There are no interviews. For several years, the average GPA of successful applicants has been 3.50. Prerequisites include 2 courses each in general chemistry, general physics, general biology, and behavioral science; a course in anatomy and a course in physiology or an integrated 2-course series; and a course in statistics.

Outcomes
97% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average); 98% of graduates passed the licensure exam on the first try (3-year average); and 98% of those program graduates responding to surveys are employed (3-year average).

Tuition, fees and financial aid
The 2014-2015 resident tuition is $5,880 per quarter. Nonresident tuition is $11,000 per quarter. Students should budget $2,500 each for fees, books, insurance, and internship expenses for the entire program. It is recommended that students participate in the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) process, available nationwide. Approximately one-half of enrolled students receive some type of financial aid. Outside employment is not recommended while in the professional program.

Student life
See the University of Washington homepage (www.washington.edu) for a detailed Student Guide, covering academics, finances, student life and much more.