Entry-level Doctoral Degree (DPT)
Admission to the DPT Program

Admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is contingent on the completion of a baccalaureate degree and all prerequisite course work from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

Course Requirements

The following prerequisites must be completed prior to enrollment in the program:

All science courses must include the appropriate laboratory instruction. The prerequisite courses must be taken for a letter grade. Credit awarded through the AP testing program may be applied to the mathematics requirement only.

Grade-point Requirement

An overall grade-point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale) is the minimum for consideration for admission. A grade-point average of 3.0 or above in all prerequisite course work is recommended.

Graduate Record Examination

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is required for admission.  Arrange to take the test early to ensure receipt of the scores prior to the application deadline. Request that your scores be reported directly to The University of Iowa.

Early Admission

The DPT Program also has an early admission plan. Applicants with outstanding GPA's, generally a 3.75 or higher, and a score equal to or greater than 1100 on the GRE (verbal and quantitative scores combined) may be considered for early admission.  Application procedures are the same as those for regular admission. Applicants interviewed but not selected for early admission would automatically be placed in the final general applicant pool.  Questions regarding early admission should be directed to physical-therapy@uiowa.edu. 

Professional Opportunities

Changes in the health care system have made possible many practice opportunities for physical therapists. In addition to hospital based practice, an increasing number of physical therapists select private practice. In the last several years, areas of specialization have become available in orthopedics, cardiopulmonary, electrophysiology, neurology, geriatrics, pediatrics, and sports physical therapy. Some potential practice settings are as follows:

Criminal Background Checks

Policy on Criminal Background Checks:  Enrollment in the DPT Program will be contingent on a successful criminal background check.  Applicants invited for interviews are required to sign a Background Release Form and disclose and explain any felony or misdemeanor convictions.  Applicants offered admission are required to provide signed consent for conducting an External Criminal Background Investigation in addition to providing a signed Release of Information Waiver.  This occurs at the time applicants confirm the Program's admissions offer.  Applicants should also be aware that some clinical education sites require drug screening for students performing clinical rotations.   

Cultural Diversity Statement

The University of Iowa's Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science acknowledges the importance of recognizing and understanding cultural diversity. The Program's faculty, staff, and students strive to promote trust, respect, and appreciation for individual differences in matters of practice, research, and education. Efforts are made to provide a supportive environment, one appreciative of human differences, while cooperating with each other in the constructive expression of ideas and actions.

 

Technical Standards for Graduation

Graduates from the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program at The University of Iowa must possess and demonstrate the physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities required to provide physical therapy services in a broad variety of clinical situations and environments.  All candidates in the DPT Program must perform with or without reasonable accommodation, the skills listed below in a safe, effective, and efficient manner and in compliance with legal and ethical standards as set forth by the APTA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

  1. Communicate effectively through utilization of appropriate verbal, nonverbal, and written communication with patients, families, and others.
  2. Demonstrate ability to apply universal precautions.
  3. Utilize appropriate tests and measures in order to perform a physical therapy examination.  Examples include, but are not limited to, the examination and evaluation of cognitive/mental status, vital signs, skin and vascular integrity, wound status, endurance, segmental length, girth, and volume, sensation, strength, tone, reflexes, movement patterns, coordination, balance, developmental stage, soft tissue, joint motion/play, cranial and peripheral nerve function, posture, gait, functional abilities, assistive devices fit/use, psychosocial needs, and the pulmonary system.
  4. Demonstrate ability to reach diagnostic and therapeutic judgments through analysis and synthesis of data gathered during patient/client examination in order to develop an appropriate plan of care.
  5. Perform fully or in a reasonably independent manner, physical therapy interventions appropriate to the patient's status and desired goals.  These include but are not limited to, exercise and aerobic conditioning, functional training in self-care and home management, functional training in community and work integration activities, manual therapy techniques, prescription and application of appropriate prosthetic and orthotic devices, airway clearance techniques, wound management, physical agents and mechanical modalities, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
  6. Apply teaching/learning theories and methods in health care and community environments.
  7. Accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of behavior.
  8. Possess the perseverance, diligence, and consistency to complete the physical therapy curriculum and enter the practice of physical therapy.

Applicants who because of a health condition or disability believe they need accommodation to meet the technical standards for graduation should contact The University of Iowa's Office of Student Disability Services at (319)335-1462.

Inquiries regarding admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program should be addressed to:

Office of Admissions
115 Calvin Hall
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
319/335-1525

For additional information about The University of Iowa, you may also visit the UI General Catalog.
Or, Call us toll free at 1-800/553-IOWA

Or you may contact the:

Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
1-252 Medical Education Building
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1190
Phone: 319-335-9791
Fax: 319-335-9707
E-mail: physical-therapy@uiowa.edu

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