The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is a full-time, 115-credit program designed to prepare students for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and for successful careers as doctors of physical therapy. The program consists of 36 months of didactic and clinical work. Students will merge hands-on skills, ethical care, clinical judgment, and critical inquiry to promote optimal functioning of current and future clients throughout their lifespan. The clinical phase offers four 8- to 10-week full-time rotations.

Distinctive Numbers

• Graduation rate: 100%
• First-time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam: 93%
• Ultimate pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam: 100%
• Employment rate for those who sought employment: 100%

The graduation rate for the 2020 cohort was 100% and the passing rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam was also 100%.

Recent research from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics for physical therapists shows that the nationwide median compensation is $91,010. The number of open jobs in the field for 2020 was 258,200, and the job growth outlook for 2019-2029 is 18% (much faster than average).

Mission

The Marist DPT Program is committed to creating the next generation of physical therapists by offering the highest standard of excellence in physical therapy education. Graduates will be prepared to merge hands-on skills, ethical care, clinical judgment and critical inquiry to promote optimal functioning of current and future clients throughout their lifespan. The DPT program will instill the importance of providing advocacy and service to the profession, as well as to local and global communities. 

Philosophy

Achievement of the DPT Program mission is accomplished by educating students who will become autonomous movement specialists prepared in the examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention of impairments, functional limitations, and disorders of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary and integumentary systems. Graduates will integrate critical thinking with ethical and professional judgment in all aspects of practice, teaching, research, collaboration, and consultation. They will be service-oriented professionals dedicated to achieving optimal participation of their patients/clients by using health promotion, and evidence-based and innovative strategies.

Program Distinctions

Marist's DPT Program instills the importance of providing advocacy and service to the profession as well as to local and global communities. The DPT facility is self-contained with a high-tech classroom, physical therapy lab, and a suite of simulation labs, including trauma, surgery, and traditional examination rooms. In addition, the facility has a full gross anatomy laboratory that supports the learning experience.

At the successful completion of the program, students will demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Utilizing critical thinking, current evidence, and clinical judgment to determine a diagnosis and prognosis.
• Completing a patient examination comprised of a patient interview, complete medical history, review of systems and appropriate tests and measures.
• Utilizing all aspects of the patient examination, the patient’s/family’s expectations and goals, and current evidence to develop appropriate interventions.
• Becoming autonomous movement specialists prepared in all aspects of patient care for disorders of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and integumentary systems.
• Practicing the highest standards of ethical and legal practice and ascribing to the American Physical Therapy Association’s Core Values and Code of Ethics.
• Recognizing the benefits of providing physical therapy to the entire person, not solely the impairment, functional limitations, and disorders they present.
• Valuing physical, cultural, ethnic, age, economic, and psychosocial differences and using a humanistic and holistic approach to the delivery of services to all patients/clients.