About the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

The mission of the UAMS Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is to improve physical therapy services to the state of Arkansas and beyond by doing the following:

• Educating students who will practice patient-centered physical therapy while embracing cultural diversity, ethical integrity, professionalism and collaboration with other members of the health care team
• Contributing to the knowledge base of the profession of physical therapy and advancing evidence-based clinical practice
• Providing patient care and services to the community and continuing education courses to physical therapy practitioners

The program fosters lifelong learning through emphasis on critical thinking, competency-based education with clinical application of knowledge and evidence-based medicine. Graduates of the program will be prepared to enter into any aspect of physical therapy, with the ability to serve any community and contribute to the profession through transformative leadership, education and service.

The UAMS Doctor of Physical Therapy Program will be a regionally recognized leader in physical therapy education, scholarship, service and the advancement of clinical practice.

The goal of the UAMS Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is to produce autonomous practitioners, who are able to make independent and scientifically sound clinical judgments related to patient care.

In the ongoing process of developing a curriculum of study to achieve the program mission, the faculty adheres to the following educational principles:

• Professional education in physical therapy should be firmly grounded in the natural and social sciences; clinical and applied sciences; and training in professionalism and clinical reasoning, with an appropriate balance of all areas of study
• Learning experiences should encompass a wide range of integrated teaching methodologies and technologies, designed to foster academic and professional independence and promote self-directed and lifelong learning values
• Learning experiences must foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Learning experiences must produce demonstrated, entry-level competencies
• Clinical learning experiences must integrate and build on previous knowledge and skill acquisition, to produce demonstrated entry-level competencies
• Learning experiences should provide opportunities for students to become familiar with peer assessment and peer review techniques in physical therapy
• Learning experiences must promote the highest levels of personal integrity, ethical professional behavior and commitment to the profession of physical therapy

The guiding philosophy, principles and values underlying the UAMS Doctor of Physical Therapy Program curriculum are derived from the department’s mission statement. The curriculum within the professional entry-level physical therapy program will result in knowledge and skills that prepare graduates for professional physical therapy practice. Faculty will emphasize active learning and create an environment that encourages an internal desire to learn, a passion to creatively apply new knowledge in clinical settings, and an ongoing drive to seek valid, reliable and scientifically relevant knowledge. With grounding in research theory and evidence-based practice, students will be equipped to critically analyze the literature and incorporate practical application of recently published studies as part of the evidence-based practice of physical therapy. The curriculum is specifically designed to foster the development of an attitude of self-directed and life-long learning.

The UAMS Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is a 34-month full-time program located at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in the heart of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The curriculum uses the flipped classroom concept, with many lectures delivered electronically to the students. Class and lab time are devoted to the integration of material and problem-solving. In-class sessions involve team-based learning and interprofessional learning experiences.

Our program is a lock-step curriculum, in which each semester’s content is coordinated across all courses and each semester builds upon the previous semester’s knowledge base.

The campus features a new student-led interprofessional clinic, a state-of-the-art library, and advanced clinical simulation facilities. Programs are designed to foster interprofessional learning and clinical experiences among students from the UAMS College of Health Professions, College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy and College of Nursing. Faculty and students will have ongoing patient contact starting in the first month of the curriculum. Additionally, UAMS students have the opportunity to treat patients at the Arkansas State Veterans Home.

Why We Think Our Curriculum Works

We believe our systems-based curriculum enables students to apply didactic content to clinical practice in a more timely manner. In addition, our focus on active learning and the use of the flipped classroom fosters independence as a learner.

Since our inception, our program has had an overall 100% pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination. We also have a 100% employment rate among our graduates.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program admits a cohort of 28 students each August.

Students admitted to the program complete a series of courses that include didactic classroom and laboratory learning opportunities as well as 36 weeks of supervised full-time clinical experiences, in eight semesters spread over three years.

The program uses a systems-based curriculum in which students focus on one content area at a time which is synced with their clinical experiences. The curriculum plan is one of “lockstep”, requiring one class of students to matriculate in the fall semester of each year, complete the required sequence of courses in the required order, and complete the program at the end of the spring semester three years later. Courses may not be taken out of sequence.

Students are expected to be available for classes Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program has developed a strong clinical phase for the program by establishing partnerships with the top health care facilities in the state of Arkansas and beyond. Clinical rotations will take place in acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, private practices, extended care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health organizations, occupational health centers and the Veterans Administration.

Students complete full-time clinical rotations throughout the three-year program, beginning in the first summer semester at the completion of the first year of the program.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification is required for all students enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

A Doctor of Physical Therapy is awarded upon successful completion of all requirements of the UAMS Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

Graduation qualifies students to register and sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination. Successful completion of the National Physical Therapy Exam is required in order to practice as a licensed physical therapist. Licensure is managed by individual state regulatory boards.