Training experts in correcting and preventing movement disorders
Physical therapists are experts in how the body moves. When injury, disease or disability interferes with life and work, physical therapists help their clients to correct (or prevent the progression of) movement disorders. They help people stay healthy and fit, and prevent the onset or progression of impairments brought on by injury, disease, disorders and disabilities.
A Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is the entry-level degree for people who want to become physical therapists. At UIC, you’ll complete eight terms (33 months) of didactic and clinical education that includes lecture courses, laboratory courses, seminars, and clinical internships, preparing you for a career as a physical therapist.
Our students have access to the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health) and a world-class faculty in all major physical therapy specialties, including researchers with labs on campus. Additionally, you can develop your clinical interests further by pursuing electives and courses in areas such as gait, pediatrics, gender health, and sports physical therapy. You will be well-prepared for your career in physical therapy.
Physical therapy is a fast-growing field. Employment of PTs is poised to grow by 34 percent (71,800), between 2014 and 2024, according to the US Labor Department, a rate that is much faster than average.
New treatments and therapies promise to expand the scope of therapy practices, and the aging baby boom generation will increase demand for rehabilitation services. Additionally, physical therapists have high flexibility in work settings and report a high personal satisfaction with their work. These factors make physical therapy a highly desirable profession.
U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the field as the 12th best career. Opportunities exist in a wide variety of settings.
Creating individualized therapeutic approaches to advance existing rehabilitation practices using state-of-art technologies
Focusing on Sports Physical Therapy through practice, teaching, and research
Providing award-winning excellence in teaching with a focus in anatomy.
Our program includes 38 weeks of full-time clinical experiences—one two-week and three 12-week internships. These are integrated throughout the curriculum, with your first half-day clinical experience in the very first year.
We make sure every student is exposed to a wide variety of clients and settings to fully prepare you for a career in physical therapy. Your clinical rotations will include:
Our students work with different patient populations such as pediatrics and geriatrics, as well as patients with neurological, orthopedic, and medical conditions who require physical therapy services. This let’s you see first hand the application of clinical practices discussed in class, such as evaluations and the use of modalities and exercises, and exposes you to patient care conferences and rounds.
The UIC Department of Physical Therapy currently has affiliations with more than 400 sites. While the majority of these facilities are located in Illinois and the Midwest, there are facilities all over the United States.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the University of Illinois at Chicago is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org.
Physical therapist education at UIC has been continuously accredited by CAPTE since 1973. The DPT program is the only program accredited by CAPTE that is offered by the Department of Physical Therapy. CAPTE conducted a review of the program in 2017, at which time the program received full (10 year) accreditation until 2027.
Information about filing a complaint with CAPTE is available on the CAPTE website.
The success of our program graduates is demonstrated by excellent outcome measures. Our first-time test taker pass rates on the national PT licensure exam have been above the national averages every year since the start of the DPT program. Program outcomes for the past several years include the following:
Class of 2015
National PT Licensure Exam Pass Rate: 100% (98.0% first attempt)
Employment at 6 months: 100%
Graduation Rate: 96%
Class of 2016
National PT Licensure Exam Pass Rate: 97.9% (97.9% first attempt)
Employment at 6 months: 100%
Graduation Rate: 94%
Class of 2017
National PT Licensure Exam Pass Rate: 100% (100% first attempt)
Employment at 6 months: 100%
Graduation Rate: 91%
Still wondering what a DPT can do for you? We’re here to help.