Why Wayne State for Physical Therapy?
Excellence
The faculty strives to facilitate excellence in learning, scholarship and service. The classroom and laboratory facilities have state of the art technology to enhance the learning experience. The faculty are highly skilled clinicians, teachers, researchers and leaders in the profession. Graduates are considered to be excellent critical thinkers and problem solvers, as well as highly trained in hands-on physical therapy skills.
Affordable, High Quality Graduate Education
The mission of the University is to provide affordable, high quality graduate and professional education. Unlike most entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy programs, the Program at Wayne State does not require a Bachelor’s degree for admission to the doctoral program. This saves the future physical therapist one year (30 credits) of pre-requisite courses (and tuition!). In addition, this allows the graduate physical therapist to enter the workforce, and start earning a salary, one year sooner than programs requiring a Baccalaureate degree to enter the professional program.
- When comparing the cost of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Wayne State make sure to add up all of the fees, extra per credit costs as well as the tuition charge. Calculate the total cost based on the number of credit hours in the professional program.
- The Doctor of Physical Therapy program participates in the Wayne State University Good Neighbor Tuition Policy. Residents of Ontario, Canada and the four northeast counties of Ohio pay in state tuition (vs. non resident tuition)
- Students in the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) program pay resident tuition for the core tDPT which are taught as on-line courses regardless of where the student lives. Non-resident fees are charged for courses beyond the core tDPT curriculum.
Academic Medical Center
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Wayne State is located on the campus of the largest academic medical center in the country. The resources of the Wayne State School of Medicine and the Detroit Medical Center are available to students through learning, research and service opportunities. The Detroit Medical Center consists of many hospitals including: the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Harper University Hospital, Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and Detroit Receiving Hospital, a trauma 1 medical center. The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan is home to the Spinal Cord Recovery Project which provides intensive therapy to persons with spinal cord injury, many of whom have had stem cell implants in either China or Portugal. In addition, the medical campus includes the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Detroit Veteran’s Administration Hospital and the Medical School library.
Interdisciplinary Education and Diversity
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is fortunate to be located in one of the most diverse Colleges of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in the country. Diverse in both the many health care disciplines offered as well as the student body. Health care programs in the College include Clinical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant Studies, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Mortuary Science, Anatomic Pathologist Assistant, Radiation Therapy Technology, and many more. Students have the opportunity to interact with and learn about many health care team members and to share in their professional expertise.
Research and Scholarship Opportunities
Research and Scholarship Opportunities
Students are required to complete a research project by the end of their third year. Students work closely with faculty members to develop a project that is meaningful and provides a positive experience in the world of research. Students present their research at Del Harder Day at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan and at the College Research Day as well as state and national professional meetings.
Reflective Practitioners
Reflective Practitioners
Research has shown that an essential characteristic of expert physical therapists is the ability to reflect on their practice, skills and attributes. Reflection is an integral component of both classroom and clinical courses. Students begin to learn the skill and process of self-reflection in the first semester and continue this process throughout their educational experience and beyond.
Professionalism, Knowledge and Skill
Professionalism, Knowledge and Skill
The faculty firmly believes that to be a successful physical therapist a student must develop in all aspects of this triad. The student must demonstrate responsibility, accountability, time management, a desire to be a lifelong learner and other professional characteristics in addition to developing knowledge, critical thinking and problem solving skills. Of course, hands-on skills to provide interventions in the areas of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary and Integumentary diagnoses are essential as well.