Our innovative, movement-based approach to physical therapy education and our passionate faculty and staff foster a unique learning environment for students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
The Human Movement System
Our Program in Physical Therapy pioneered the movement-based approach to physical therapy, which focuses on how improper movement leads to injury and impairment. Under our unique physical therapy education model, our students learn to identify and correct the underlying causes of patients’ symptoms.
Surrounded by groundbreaking research, passionate educators, and an internationally renowned academic medical center, students witness advancement in physical therapy and gain the clinical exposure necessary for success in the field.
Clinical Education
Over the course of your three years, you are provided with clinical education in class, part-time clinical experiences, and full-time clinical internships. The program exposes you to patient care in various settings and treatment of a number of conditions.
We encourage you to travel for at least one clinical experience to obtain the broadest possible exposure. We affiliate with hundreds of sites across the United States. Only one-third of our clinical sites are within the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Research Opportunities
While students in the DPT degree program are not required to generate original research, you can take advantage of opportunities to participate in ongoing faculty research. You may participate in a study or apply for an assistantship.
Additionally, through an NIH-funded pre-doctoral research training grant awarded through the School of Medicine, a limited number of opportunities are available to students who wish to participate in a faculty-guided research project. For further details, please visit the Clinical Research Training Center.