Doctor of Physical Therapy

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program

Students planning to become a physical therapist apply to the Entry Level DPT Program. This is a three-year program (36 months) including 34 weeks of full-time clinical experiences. The DPT Program is accredited by the APTA Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. It has also been approved by the University of California, California State University, California Post-Secondary Education Committee (CPEC) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

This program is designed to prepare scholarly clinicians, educators, collaborative clinical researchers, administrative managers, and community leaders. The program accepts 50 students and requires 36 months of study (including summers). The curriculum is built on a strong theoretical foundation in basic, medical and applied sciences. Critical thinking and clinical reasoning are woven into all aspects of the program and creative problem-solving skills are developed to work with patients to mitigate disability, optimize function and maintain positive health.

Courses are held at San Francisco State University and the University of California, San Francisco campuses. Clinical experiences occur at affiliated sites throughout California. Graduates are well prepared to pass the State Licensing Examination and are considered top applicants for positions in a variety of physical therapy venues.

Career Outlook

The career outlook for physical therapists is very good with graduates employed in acute and rehabilitation hospitals, private practice, outpatient clinics, schools, community agencies, and academic programs.

Entry Level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Admission Requirements to Program

Fifty students are admitted to the DPT program each June. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution and meet all general admissions requirements for graduate study at both San Francisco State University and the University of California, San Francisco. Although any undergraduate major is acceptable, for students in the initial stages of undergraduate preparation, a major in kinesiology or the biological sciences tends to be the most direct route into a physical therapy program. All applicants must have completed the program prerequisites before entry. Applicants should complete all prerequisite courses prior to the application deadline.  Two prerequisites may be in progress or planned after the application deadline, but they must be completed by enrollment in the program.  Students taking combined anatomy/physiology courses must complete two semesters or three quarters of work. Applicants without a strong science background should take additional science courses to demonstrate an ability to succeed in science-based coursework.  Any online course MUST be approved before it can be used to fulfill a prerequisite requirement.  No prerequisite course may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Required Basic Prerequisite Courses

Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Prerequisites

Title	Units
General Chemistry with laboratory (1 Year) No survey courses	10
General Physics with laboratory (1 Year) No survey courses	8
Human or Comparative Anatomy with laboratory	3
Human Physiology with laboratory	4
General Microbiology or Related Upper Division Biology course	3

Social/Psychological Sciences

Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Prerequisites

Title	Units
Abnormal Psychology	3

Applied Sciences

Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Prerequisites

Title	Units
Introduction to Statistics	3

Highly Recommended Courses

Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Prerequisites

Title	Units
Biomedical Ethics	3
Organic Chemistry	3
Motor Learning or Motor Control	3
Developmental Psychology or Motor Development	3
Neurosciences/Neuroanatomy	3
Exercise Physiology	3
Structural or Anatomical Kinesiology	3

To be eligible for admission consideration, students must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Meet the Graduate School requirements of the University of California and the California State University. More specifically, students must have an overall baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or above and an overall GPA of 3.0 for the last 60 semester/90 quarter units.
• A 3.0 GPA or above in college coursework in the basic sciences including the prerequisites specified above.
• Submit Graduate Record Examination scores. Scores must be no more than five years old.  To be competitive, we recommend applicants score at a minimum 50th percentile on both the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections of the GRE, and at least a 4.5 on the analytical writing section.  Applicants are encouraged to retake the exam if they score below the recommended minimums.  If an applicant submits multiple GRE scores, the overall best score from each section is counted.  Scores must be submitted to PTCAS program code #7591 U CA San Francisco Phys Therapy no later than the application deadline.
• Be able to demonstrate understanding of the work and profession of physical therapy, gained through paid or volunteer experience (minimum of 150 hours) in a variety of settings under the supervision of a physical therapist.
• Supply three strong letters of recommendation regarding potential to complete the program and personal compatibility with physical therapy as a profession. At least one letter must be from a physical therapist.  Letters must be submitted through PTCAS by the application deadline.
• ALL official transcripts from every US and Canadian college and university attended must be mailed directly to PTCAS.  Applicants are encouraged to mail transcripts by September 1.

Application Process

Students must submit two applications, which are submitted separately but in parallel. Application materials consist of:

1. The Centralized Physical Therapy Application (PTCAS), and
2.  The UCSF Supplemental Physical Therapy Application.

Both applications are accessible at ptrehab.ucsf.edu/application-requirements. The deadline for both applications is October 1 (midnight PST) of the year prior to desired entry.

Following a preliminary evaluation, a selection of applicants will be invited to interview. The interview is a required part of the application process.  Following an interview and an assessment of writing skills, 50 students will be accepted for admission to the physical therapy program. Once accepted into the program, students will then complete an online application for admission to SF State.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One

Students must meet the first level of proficiency in written English as a condition of admission to the physical therapy program. Students must complete the GRE analytical writing section prior to enrollment. Evaluation of writing skills is also based upon an essay written at the time of the applicant's scheduled interview.

Level Two

The second level of written English proficiency is demonstrated through course projects involving written manuscripts during years one and two of the program, and the culminating experience project during the student's final year in the program.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy based on a Qualifying Assessment that consists of:

1. overall 3.0 GPA in academic coursework;
2. satisfactory performance on all practical exams in clinical coursework;
3. satisfactory performance in all clinical experiences as judged by meeting all required milestones on the Clinical Performance Index; and,
4. a score of 80% or better on each of three clinically based, board style examinations that evaluate critical thinking and problem-solving.

Culminating Experience

Students research and write an in-depth, evidence-based review of a clinical problem following the criteria established in PT 209 and PT 910 courses. The manuscripts must be prepared in a publication-ready journal format as well as presented orally to an audience of faculty and peers.

Courses shown with quarter-unit values are taken at the UCSF. Courses shown with semester-unit values are assigned to SF State. At SF State, courses numbering 700 or higher are graduate courses. At the UCSF, courses with numbers between 100 and 199 are at the upper division level; courses with numbers between 200 and 399 are graduate courses.

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Program

Basic and Applied Sciences

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
ANAT 207	Neuroscience		5
KIN 746	Clinical Exercise Physiology	3
PHYS 121	Mammalian Physiology I		5
PHYS 122	Mammalian Physiology II		3
PT 200A	Neuromusculoskeletal Anatomy		6
PT 200B/C	Neuromusculoskeletal Anatomy		1
PT 205	Functional Anatomy Review (elective)	1.5
PT 706	Structure, Function and Motion in Physical Therapy	2

Medical Sciences

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
PATH 135.01	Pathology		3
PT 110	Orthopedics & Rehabilitation: Diagnosis & Treatment		2
PT 111	Neurology & Rehabilitation: Diagnosis & Treatment		3
PT 112	Human Growth and Development Across the Life Span		3
PT 210	Radiology for Physical Therapy		2
PT 211	Pharmacology for Physical Therapy		2
PT 212A	Muscle Biology and Therapeutic Exercise		1.5
PT 212B	Advanced Therapeutic Exercise Prescription		1.5

Applied Social Sciences

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
PT 704	Education, Health Promotion, Wellness and Prevention in Physical Therapy	2
PT 705	Administration and Organization in Physical Therapy	2
PT 735	Psychosocial Aspects in Rehabilitation Sciences, Part I	2
PT 736	Ecological and Organizational Issues in Rehabilitation	3
PT 737	Psychosocial Issues in Rehabilitation Science, Part II	1

Research/Teaching

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
PT 215	Compassion, Accountability, Responsibility & Excellence (CARE)		1
PT 251A	Research Design		3
PT 215B	Research Design		1.5
PT 419A	Research Seminar		1
PT 419B	Research Seminar		1
PT 419C	Research Seminar		1
PT 419D	Research Seminar		1
PT 899	Independent Study	2
or PT 206	Application of Principles of Study		3

Physical Therapy Sciences

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
PT 201A	Physical Therapy Assessment		3
PT 202	Therapeutic Modalities		2
PT 213	Neurological Pathokinesiology III		2
PT 700	Multisystem Pathokinesiology		4
PT 710	Neurological Pathokinesiology I	4
PT 711	Neurological Pathokinesiology II	3
PT 720	Cardiopulmonary Pathokinesiology I	2
PT 741	Musculoskeletal Pathokinesiology I	4
PT 742	Musculoskeletal Pathokinesiology II	4
PT 743	Musculoskeletal Pathokinesiology III	3

Evidence Based Practice

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
PT 209	Evidence Based Practice		3
PT 908	Professional Colloquium	1
PT 910	Evidence Based Practice	4

Clinical Care

Doctor of Physical Therapy Courselist

Course	Title	SF State Semester Units	UCSF Quarter Units
PT 207	Medical Screening for Physical Therapists		4.5
PT 400A	Grand Rounds		3
PT 400B	Grand Rounds		1
PT 400C	Grand Rounds		1
PT 410	Integrated Clinical Experience		0.5
PT 418	Mentored Clinical Internship		9
PT 420A	Mentored Research Concentration		2.5
PT 420B	Mentored Research Concentration		2.5
PT 420C	Mentored Research Concentration		2.5
PT 420D	Mentored Research Concentration		2.5
PT 801	Clinical Clerkship I	6
PT 802	Clinical Clerkship II	6
PT 920	Case Reports I	1
PT 921	Case Reports II	4

Total semester units: 122