DOWNSTATE OFFERS DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM
Aug 14, 2006
To better prepare physical therapists with the clinical skills and advanced medical
knowledge to critically evaluate and treat patients, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences
University has introduced a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree program geared
to the needs of today’s professionals — and the needs of the people of Brooklyn.
Downstate is one of only two schools in the borough with a graduate program in physical
therapy, and it is the only public institution in the metropolitan New York area to
offer a combined BS-DPT degree. While other colleges and universities require applicants
to have a bachelor’s degree prior to admission to a DPT program, students armed with
an associate’s degree and only one extra year of undergraduate study can earn both
a bachelor’s in health sciences and doctoral degree in physical therapy by enrolling
at Downstate.
“This is good news for students,” says Joanne Katz, PT, DPT, PhD, chair of the Physical
Therapy Program at SUNY Downstate’s School of Health Professions. Compared to annual
tuition costs elsewhere—as high as $25,000 and up—Dr. Katz believes Downstate’s program,
at $7,235, is “one of the best bargains in town.”
The inauguration of Downstate’s DPT program coincides with new legislation from Albany.
Governor George Pataki recently signed a bill that gives New Yorkers what residents
of many other states already have, direct access to physical therapy services without
a physician’s referral. In response to the Governor’s action, Dr. Katz said, “This
legislation gives consumers more choice and improves their access to health care.”
Downstate’s academically rigorous three-year DPT program offers three semesters of
undergraduate coursework and six of graduate courses. Class size is kept small; 22
students are currently enrolled and no more than 30 are admitted each year to guarantee
that everyone receives maximum attention.
Students become skilled in examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and providing
physical therapy interventions based on current scientific evidence. Examples of
physical therapy interventions include the use of electrical stimulation and ultrasound;
therapeutic exercises for strength, coordination, balance and flexibility training;
and wellness and prevention programs. Physical therapists work with people of all
ages, including children with developmental delays, injured athletes, and individuals
who have lost function due to heart problems, diabetes, and pain. They also collaborate
with other health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, occupational therapists,
audiologists, speech therapists, and social workers, in a variety of clinical settings.
The DPT program has attracted a diverse group of students, including several who have
chosen physical therapy as a second career. One of them, Cameron English, had a long
and successful career as a dancer, performing in such shows as Fame on television
and the film version of Chorus Line. “My dance injuries finally led me to PT,” he
says. “It was my new-found passion. Like dance, it found me.”
With salaries starting at $55,000 in New York and going up as high as $80,000, physical
therapy offers students just entering the profession many career opportunities. The
DPT program is also a boon for Brooklyn. Since the majority of its students live in
the borough and all are required to perform their internships at local hospitals and
clinical facilities, many stay to practice in the communities that most need their
services.
Listed as one of the “Top 10 Hottest Careers” by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
employment is expected to grow even faster now that America’s 78 million Baby Boomers
are reaching the prime age for heart disease, arthritis, and other debilitating conditions.
“People are living longer, healthier lives, and they have high expectations for the
quality of life they hope to enjoy in later years,” Dr. Katz explains. “Physical therapists
can help them achieve that goal.”
The Physical Therapy Program is part of the School of Health Professions, one of four
health science colleges at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. For more information
on the program and its admission requirements, go to the Physical Therapy Program website.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.