Doctorate of Physical Therapy

Today I would like to discuss the degree of Doctorate of Physical Therapy. We received a phone call at the end of last week from an irate gentleman who seemed to think that there was no such thing as a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. This individual would not listen to anything let alone reason, so I decided this would be a good topic. There is indeed a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. It is an intense graduate program offered by several universities and I have one on the wall so I am certain that it exists.

The field of Physical Therapy is transitioning its accredited university programs so that all will offer the doctorate. Originally the profession required only a Bachelor's degree, next it moved towards a masters degree, but the profession is now moving towards the Doctorate. In addition to the degree, Physical Therapists must also have a license to practice. The Doctorate of Physical Therapy in an entry level degree. Similarly Medical Doctor and Juris Doctor are entry level doctoral degrees. In all of these cases, the profession warrants the knowledge required to practice within theses fields.

In addition, in the state of California, a law was passed in the past few years to allow Physical Therapists with a Doctorate degree to go by the title "Doctor". This was a tremendous step in the profession of Physical Therapists! I hope that other states will follow suit.

-Dr. Juliette Norman DPT