About the Rutgers-UMDNJ Integration
The School of Health Related Professions will be transferred to Rutgers, effective July 1, 2013. All programs will be continuing at current locations. As a result of this integration, you will see changes to this website. Learn more about the Rutgers-UMDNJ Integration.
UMDNJ - Doctor of Physical Therapy Program - Stratford
THE DPT PROGRAM WILL START ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS IN JULY 2013 FOR ADMISSION TO THE CLASS BEGINING MAY 2014.
COME VISIT US! OUR NEXT OPEN HOUSE IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013!
For a list of additional upcoming information sessions and open house events please click here.
Become a Rutgers Graduate Prospect! Click here.
Phone: (856) 566-6456; Fax: (856) 566-6458
Director: Marie Koval Nardone, PT, MS, EdD
Inquiries: dptgradm@umdnj.edu
Introduction
Welcome to the web site of the Physical Therapy Program which is jointly sponsored by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Health Related Professions and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Graduate School at Camden! Graduates of this program shall earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT) from UMDNJ-SHRP and Rutgers University-Graduate School at Camden. Both Rutgers and UMDNJ are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, nongovernmental, peer-based membership association dedicated to promoting standards of excellence and improvement in higher education.
The DPT Program is located on the beautiful Stratford campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. It is conveniently located one half hour from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one hour from the New Jersey shore.
The Program accepted its first students in 1988 and was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Physical Therapy Association in 1990 with the graduation of our first class. Graduates of our program are employed in a variety of educational and practice settings throughout the country. Faculty represents a broad spectrum of physical therapy practice and includes board-certified clinical specialists in the areas of hand, orthopedic, neurologic, pediatric, and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.
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Our program's unique character is enriched by the history of two outstanding sponsoring universities; Rutgers-Camden and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was founded in 1970 as the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and achieved status as a free-standing University in 1981. UMDNJ includes eight schools on five campuses: Newark, Piscataway/New Brunswick, Camden, Scotch Plains, and Stratford. UMDNJ is New Jersey's public university of the health sciences and is the largest such institution in the nation. The UMDNJ School of Health Related Professions has over 1200 students enrolled in 33 specialties. Rutgers University was chartered as Queens College in 1776 and opened its doors to the first students in 1771 in New Brunswick. Since its assumption of university status in 1924, Rutgers has expanded significantly. Rutgers now has over 50,000 students on campuses in Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick. As members of both these university communities, our students have access to a wide range of educational, library, career planning, and social resources.
The admissions process is competitive. In the most recent admissions cycle, 36% of applicants were accepted. The matriculation rate (percentage of accepted students who enrolled in the program) was 51%.
The program requires the completion of a minimum of 110 credits over a 36-month period. Each new class begins on Tuesday after Memorial Day. Graduation occurs three years later after the completion of all of the clinical education experiences. The DPT Program faculty focuses upon the growth and development of each individual student. The average class size (26) and faculty-to-student ratios (26:1 for classes; 13:1 for labs) are small. Students participate in a number of small group activities, including visits to local clinical facilities for patient observation, examination and intervention sessions under the direction of academic and clinical faculty. Community service projects are integrated within the curriculum and provide unique learning experiences along with the opportunity to provide care to populations who are underserved. Many students present research in the form of poster and platform presentations at American Physical Therapy Conferences on both state and national levels.
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The DPT Program maintains affiliation agreements with over 300 clinical facilities throughout the country. Clinical experiences are integrated throughout the curriculum. Clinical placement is based upon the students' educational needs, clinical availability, and a lottery selection. Students who enroll in the DPT Program should be prepared to assume the costs of travel and living expenses associated with their clinical affiliations.
Physical therapy education is an academically rigorous experience. The graduation rate (ratio of graduates to initially enrolled students) for the class of 2010 as reported to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in the 2012 Annual Accreditation Report (AAR) was 77.3%.
Our program’s weighted average ultimate 3 year (2008 - 2010) pass rate on the licensure exam as reported by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) was 93.55%.
100% of program graduates in the Class of 2011 have found employment as a physical therapist after graduation and passing of the licensure exam.
Accreditation Status
The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Graduate School Camden and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey 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: http://www.capteonline.org
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The Students
Students in the DPT Program are graduates of a variety of undergraduate programs from across the nation and come from diverse backgrounds.
Representative student comments:
"If you are searching for a didactic experience to successfully manage the demands and skills imperative to this industry, than look no further. The intimate class sizes and clinically competent instructors promote a positive learning experience. I highly recommend this program, and I look forward to becoming a valued member of the physical therapy profession." – Rocco Gervasi, DPT Class of 2011
“The small class size attracted me to the PT program at UMDNJ. One semester in, and I am excited for what lies ahead as I have already learned a lot in my first semester in the PT program” – Eric Cohen, DPT Class of 2011
“I have been able to make lifelong friendships with classmates, as well as professional relationships with the staff and faculty. The faculty genuinely cares for the students and pushes us to bring out our best. I love it here and am extremely happy to call UMDNJ and Rutgers my home away from home”. - Chukwuemeka Nwigwe, DPT Class of 2012
"The educational topics covered range from the basics to the frontier of physical therapy, which makes this program stand out from the rest. The integration of clinical experiences within the curriculum is invaluable as we experience a deeper understanding and share our clinical experiences with fellow classmates." – Shounak Shah, DPT Class of 2012
"I have had nothing but excellent comments from my clinical instructor and other PT’s while on my clinical rotation. They have told me on numerous occasions that I am much more prepared then they would have expected a first affiliation student to be" – Lisa Szymborski, DPT Class of 2013
“The rigorous academic curriculum of the DPT Program has prepared me well for my clinical affiliation. The amount of knowledge gained over the first year alone has provided an excellent comprehensive foundation to prepare a student for any clinical setting” – Toki Tahara, DPT Class of 2013 |
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Graduates
Graduates of the DPT Program practice in a variety of clinical settings within facilities across the country.
Three-year Program graduate performance on licensure examinations is above average.
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Unique Learning Opportunities
Students engage actively in the learning process through a variety of teaching strategies. Students are provided with early and frequent exposures to the clinical setting through their coursework allowing them to begin applying what they have learned.
Students have the unique opportunity to participate in a community service project in which they screen migrant workers and their children for musculoskeletal dysfunction and developmental delays.
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