About the Program
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences offers a Doctorate of Physical Therapy located at the UAMS Northwest Campus in the heart of Fayetteville, Arkansas. This program is a 34-month long full-time format enrolling 28 students each August. The curriculum uses the flipped classroom concept, with many lectures delivered electronically to the students. Class and lab time are devoted to integration of material and problem solving. In-class sessions involve team-based learning and interprofessional learning experiences.
The campus offers state-of-the-art library and clinical simulation facilities, and a new student-led inter-professional clinic. Programs at the campus are designed to promote inter-professional learning and clinical experiences between students in the UAMS Colleges of Health Professions, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing. Faculty and students will have ongoing patient contact, beginning in the first month of the curriculum. In addition, UAMS students can treat in the Veteran’s Home.
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.
UAMS DPT students complete 121 credits of coursework, including 36 weeks of full-time clinical internships. Upon completion of the degree requirements, students are awarded a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
More information is available on our website, including pre-recorded info sessions and department tours. http://healthprofessions.uams.edu/programs/physical-therapy/
About Fayetteville
Located in the foothills of the scenic Ozark Mountains and close to metropolitan areas including Little Rock and Tulsa, Fayetteville boasts a thriving cultural scene, easy access to outdoor recreation, eclectic shops, and restaurants that serve everything from comfort food to organic cuisine.
The city is complete with gorgeous trails, running streams, serene lakes and breathtaking foliage, offering something for everyone: nearby hiking and a trail system that runs throughout the city, live music and entertainment on Dickson Street, canoeing and rafting on nearby rivers and water sports at Beaver Lake, local theater offerings, and museums. Fayetteville is home of the University of Arkansas with outstanding research and development capabilities, a world class public library, superior academic facilities and amenities, and the Arkansas Razorbacks.
- Fayetteville is “one of the country’s best-kept secrets with its thriving economy and a family-friendly atmosphere nestled in the Ozark Mountains.” – Sperling’s Best Places
- Outside Magazine “Coolest College Towns in the Nations” ranked No. 23
- Forbes Magazine ranked Fayetteville the 7th best college town
- Forbes Magazine has also named Fayetteville, Arkansas as one of the best places in the U.S. for businesses and careers.
- Money Magazine has chosen the Fayetteville area as one of the “Best Places to Live in America”
- Fayetteville has been featured in Lifestyles Magazine, Southern Living, and The Best Towns in America – A Where-To-Go Guide for a Better Life
With a population of 500,000, Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic regions in the United States. With the beautiful Beaver Lake and the majestic Ozark Mountains that define the Natural state, the northwest Arkansas region, inspired by its surroundings, is the up-and-coming leader in business, education, sports, tourism and arts & culture.
For more information on the Fayetteville Region go to: Explore Northwest Arkansas
Admission Factors
Admission to the program is competitive and based on the following criteria:
- Academic achievement
- Volunteer and service work
- Observation hours / experience in the field
- Professionalism /Attitude / Maturity
- Life Experiences
- Diversity / Cultural Awareness
- Written and oral communication
Clinical Affiliations
The DPT 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, out-patient clinics, private practices, extended care and skilled nursing facilities, home health organizations, occupational health centers and the Veterans Administration.
In the News
- Students in the news
- A Case Report: The Role of Physical Therapy in Improving Gait, Strength, and Balance in a Female Patient with Wilson’s Disease
- Physical Therapy Student Honored for Community Partnership
- Ruth Wood Endowed Physical Therapy Student Award Created at UAMS Northwest Regional Campus
- Inaugural Physical Therapy Students Find Joy in Learning
- First Physical Therapy Students Begin Classes
- UAMS Alumnus Named Clinician of the Year at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Memphis
- Program and campus news
- UAMS Culinary Medicine Featured in Celebrate Arkansas Article
- Physical Therapy Program Graduates Its First Class!
- Diligence a Key Ingredient for Success, Gardner Tells Graduates at CHP Hooding Ceremony
- UAMS Physical Therapy Students Practice in U of A Nursing Simulation Labs
- Interprofessional Education at the Heart of Student-led Clinics
- UAMS names new Northwest therapy center
- PT Program Turns to Plasticized Remains to Teach Anatomy
- UAMS College of Health Professions Physical Therapy Program Earns Full Accreditation
- UAMS Northwest physical therapy program’s first students earn doctorates
- College of Health Professions Celebrates Graduates Via Zoom
- Marshallese Man Receives Free Leg Prosthesis Thanks to UAMS, UA and Snell Prosthetics & Orthotics
- Spotlight on the Department of Physical Therapy
- Virtual Festivities Celebrate College’s Half-Century Milestone
- Faculty in the news
- Dr. Laurel Sexton discusses an often misunderstood topic with KUAF’s Kyle Kellams
- Dr. Jennifer Vincenzo and Dr. Christopher Walter publish papers/presentations (excerpt from CHP First Thursday Newsletter)
- Dr. Jennifer Vincenzo (PT, PhD, MPH), an assistant professor in the College of Health Professions at UAMS Northwest, appeared on THV11 in Little Rock, AR to speak about National Fall Prevention Day
- First Chancellor’s Fund Research Grants Awarded for 10 U of A Faculty Proposals
- College of Health Professions Faculty Accolades
- Faces of NW PT Program
- College Honors Three Faculty Members
- Drs. Garcia and Vincenzo recognized for accomplishments
- Dr. Vincenzo to Serve on APTA-Geriatrics Board of Directors
- College Honors Three Faculty Members
- UAMS Researcher Receives Prestigious National Award, $1 Million to Support Falls Research in Older Adults
- ‘People are still suffering’: Long covid clinic in state addresses on-going health impacts of the virus
- Alumni in the news
To learn more about the Accreditation Status of the Physical Therapy program, please CLICK HERE
