doctor of physical therapy vs phd

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What Is a DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy)?

An Entry Level Physical Therapy Degree

• Earning a DPT
• What They Do
• Where They Work
• What to Expect

Frequently Asked Questions

DPT stands for Doctor of Physical Therapy . It's an advanced degree that many practicing physical therapists (PTs) have. Down the road, though, all practicing PTs will be DPTs.

This article looks at what it takes to earn a DPT, what DPTs do, where they work, and what to expect from an appointment with a DPT.

Getty Images / aldomurillo

Earning DPT Credentials

When you see DPT after a physical therapist's name, it means they've completed the necessary training to become an entry-level physical therapist.

After getting an undergraduate degree (such as a bachelor's degree), someone getting a DPT goes through three more years of schooling. Most of the coursework focuses on movement sciences. Classes include:

• Kinesiology (movement)

They may also take other basic science classes such as neurology, cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) rehabilitation, and pharmacology. They may have to complete a special research project, as well.

A major component of DPT education is clinical rotations. During PT school, the student spends time in physical therapy clinics or hospitals, working closely with licensed therapists to learn the basics and hone their rehab skills.

The student may have clinical rotations in a:

• Nursing home
• Cardiac rehab clinic

Once this is finished and they earn the DPT degree, they still must pass the national PT examination in their state in order to be licensed and practice as a physical therapist.

Major Components of DPT Education

To earn a DPT, students must complete:

• Clinical coursework
• Clinical rotations to practice hands-on work
• National PT examination

What Does a DPT Do?

A doctor of physical therapy is a movement expert who can help you regain normal functional mobility after injury or illness. DPTs use a variety of techniques and treatments, including:

• Therapeutic exercise prescription
• Wheelchair modifications
• Joint mobilization
• Functional mobility training
• Application of therapeutic modalities such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation
• Exercise prescription for improved cardiac and pulmonary function

DPTs also use their expertise to help prevent disability or movement problems. So, if you have any problems with mobility, working with a DPT may be a good idea.

Where Does a DPT Work?

A DPT may work in a variety of settings, such as:

• Nursing homes
• Cardiac rehab clinics
• Neurology-based rehab clinics
• Spinal cord injury clinics
• In patient's homes as a homecare therapist
• Outpatient PT clinics
• With sports teams

Physical therapists work with people of all ages, from birth through the later adult years. If you have a problem with normal functional movement, someone with a DPT degree is a good choice to see to help you regain normal mobility.

If you're hospitalized, a professional with a DPT may come to your room to help you regain normal functional mobility so you can return home safely.

What to Expect From a DPT

When working with a DPT, you can expect them to be a movement expert who has a vast knowledge of the body's systems. Your therapist is trained to recognize movement impairments and manage pain .

They can determine whether your condition is severe and requires some other treatment besides physical therapy. And they can implement strategies to help you regain normal, pain-free functional mobility.

If you've had a heart attack or cardiac surgery , you may work with a DPT as part of your cardiac rehab program. They can prescribe the right amount of aerobic exercise to improve your cardiac and respiratory function.

If your child has a movement impairment, they may work with a DPT in their school. The therapist can help ensure that your child's functional movement impairment doesn't limit their ability to participate in school activities.

What if My PT Doesn't Have a DPT?

Many working physical therapists don't have a DPT, yet it's still legal for them to practice.

In the early 2000s, the American Physical Therapy Association set out to have the DPT be the entry-level degree for all PTs by the year 2020. But older therapists with bachelor's or master's degrees can continue practicing under their credentials.

Specialized programs now offer a transitional DPT (t-DPT) degree. The t-DPT is earned over the course of about 12 months, after which the PT can begin using DPT.

Some therapists choose not to obtain the t-DPT degree and continue to practice under their bachelor's or master's degrees. They're still qualified therapists, typically have several years of real-world PT experience, and can achieve excellent outcomes with their patients.

DPT stands for Doctor of Physical Therapy. That's the degree for people becoming entry-level physical therapists.

Getting a DPT involves three years of school beyond another degree. It requires coursework, clinical work, and passing a national exam.

DPTs work in a variety of medical settings as well as in schools and with sports teams. They're specialists in movement and can help you recover from injuries and mobility-limiting illnesses.

DPT became the required degree for new PTs in 2020. However, PTs practicing before then aren't required to become DPTs.

A Word From Verywell

If you're injured or ill and are having trouble moving normally, or if pain limits your ability to complete your day-to-day tasks, you may benefit from working with a DPT degree.

Physical therapists with a DPT are considered clinical doctors. They can assess your condition and offer treatments that can help you quickly and safely recover.

A DPT has a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. A PT (physical therapist) has a bachelor's or master's degree in physical therapy. Both DPTs and PTs are qualified to examine and treat movement difficulties.

• A DPT is a clinical doctorate and is the current entry-level degree for physical therapists practicing in the United States.
• A Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) allows someone to become an independent scientific researcher.

So the DPT is more treatment focused, whereas the Ph.D. is more research-focused.

DPTs can't write prescriptions for medication. They focus more on movement and exercise programs.

However, people with a DPT degree do study pharmacology and understand how drugs affect the human body, so they may consult with you or your healthcare team about your medications.

Conard M, Schweizer K. Personality-oriented job analysis to identify non-cognitive factors predictive of performance in a doctor of physical therapy program in the United States.   J Educ Eval Health Prof . 2018;15:34. doi:10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.34

Rodeghero J, Wang YC, Flynn T, Cleland JA, Wainner RS, Whitman JM. The impact of physical therapy residency or fellowship education on clinical outcomes for patients with musculoskeletal conditions .  J Orthop Sports Phys Ther . 2015;45(2):86-96. doi:10.2519/jospt.2015.5255

By Brett Sears, PT Brett Sears, PT, MDT, is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in orthopedic and hospital-based therapy.

The Advantages of a PhD Degree for a Physical Therapist

Physical therapists work in private practice, hospitals or clinics or physical rehab centers. They provide customized therapy treatment and care for people struggling with physical injuries or health conditions. The most basic reason to get a doctoral degree in physical therapists is that most PT jobs require it, along with state licensing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Salary

Physical therapy offers significant pay, especially for PTs with a doctoral degree who work in certain environments. The median 2020 pay for therapists was ​$91,010​, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a range that spans from ​$63,530​ at the low end to more than ​$126,780​ at the high end. Most PTs with a PhD working full time can expect to earn in the top quarter of salaries, which is over ​$100,000​.

The best states for physical therapists include California and Nevada, where salaries top ​$116,000​ and ​$113,000​ respectively, according to U.S. News. Opening your own practice can produce even higher profit potential.

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A doctoral degree opens numerous employment doors for physical therapists. You can work in virtually any medical practice or facility, open your own practice, teach at a college or university or get involved in research. According to Noodle, earning a PhD in physical therapy can open doors to specialized roles in acute care, adult neurological care, oncology and cardio units, as well as specialized sports roles working with elite athletes for professional teams.

Some PTs work in practice during the day and teach classes in the evenings or on the weekends. If you don't like one work setting, you can easily flex to another given your qualifications.

Stability and Outlook

Physical therapy is among the fastest-growing vocational opportunities in the early 21st century. Baby boomers have entered retirement, making for a sizable aging population that needs PT as part of an overall health care plan. The BLS indicates a projected growth of 21 percent for PTs between 2020 to 2030. This is well above the average growth projected for all professions. Those that have a doctoral degree are primed to taken advantage of any of the career opportunities that become available.

Performance

Physical therapy is a critical area of health maintenance and improvement. People suffering from chronic health conditions rely on expert therapists to help them achieve a better quality of life. By the time you earn a PhD in physical therapy, you have acquired a high level of technical competence in physical therapy treatment and exercises. This makes you well-rounded enough to help a lot of patients, but knowledgeable enough to give expert care to each one. PTs also partner with other medical doctors in care plans and provision. Since medical doctors have PhDs, a doctoral degree puts a PT on an even professional level.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physical Therapists
• Noodle: Is a Doctorate in Physical Therapy Worth It?

Neil Kokemuller has been an active business, finance and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. He has been a college marketing professor since 2004. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in marketing, retail and small business. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University.

What Is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Degree?

Industry Advice Healthcare

Becoming a physical therapist is a common goal for health science students. This is largely because they’re able to use their knowledge of the body’s structure and inner workings to develop solutions for better health. If you’re interested in this career path, but unsure how to start, you may have questions about the educational requirements to become a physical therapist.

In this overview, you can learn what a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is, the different program options that are available to you, and what you should look for in a degree program.

What is a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree?

A Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is a clinical doctorate demonstrating expertise in human movement. “Universally, the entry-level degree for physical therapists across the country is a DPT,” says Dr. Christopher Cesario, senior director of clinical education at Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences.

Physical therapists (PTs) need this education to properly treat pain, injuries, and movement impairments that affect a patient’s quality of life. For example, these programs focus on patient education, movement exercises, and hands-on therapeutic care to ensure PTs are prepared to help individuals of all ages regain mobility and range of motion, reduce discomfort, and heal from injuries.

Download our free guide to physical therapy.

Here’s everything you need to know about becoming a physical therapist.

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Types of Doctor of Physical Therapy degree programs

Earning a DPT is an essential step if you hope to practice as a licensed physical therapist. It typically involves three years in a postgraduate program, but there are different options for completing your degree, depending on the program.

“Not all DPT programs are created equal though,” says Cesario. “There’s a variety of different models.” Here’s a closer look at the different types of DPT degree programs.

Three-plus-three program

A three-plus-three physical therapy program allows you to complete undergraduate and graduate degree requirements in a shortened time frame. The first three years of education go toward your bachelor’s degree requirements, while your fourth year—technically, your senior year—transitions into the DPT curriculum. Once you “graduate” with your bachelor’s degree, you only need to complete two more years of work to obtain your DPT.

While an accelerated program can be appealing to many students, it’s only beneficial to people who are sure they want to pursue physical therapy before starting their undergraduate degree. If you plan on exploring your career options through your undergraduate program, this isn’t a recommended track to becoming a physical therapist.

Freshman/direct-entry program

A freshman entry program is an accelerated model in which the curriculum covers what would normally be prerequisite material at the same time as DPT coursework. Students then move into the advanced clinical aspects of the curriculum at the end of their education. Up until 2018, Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences offered this type of program.

“Students would come into the program as an 18-year-old and do five years of rehabilitation or rehabilitation science studies curriculum,” says Cesario. “That education contained all the pre-reqs plus the coursework needed for a DPT. And then the final year focused on clinicals. So, we were considered a 5+1 program.”

Bouvé transitioned away from this model for several reasons, but it was largely driven by industry trends to ensure their students were set up for success down the line. In fact, only approximately 10% to 15% of the 260 DPT programs in the country still have a freshman direct-entry path program, according to Cesario.

Traditional postbaccalaureate doctorate program

In a traditional program, students complete their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees separately. So after earning a bachelor’s degree in a related field, you can obtain a doctorate in three years. The majority of institutions follow this model because it gives students more time and flexibility to figure out what they want to do and gain experience that will enrich their postgraduate education.

What to look for in a DPT program

Choosing the right degree program plays a huge role in how well you’re positioned to enter the field. The availability of developmental resources, level of faculty engagement, and opportunities for networking can make or break your educational experience.

Here’s what to look for in a physical therapy degree program to get the most out of your investment.

Experiential opportunities

Exposure is everything in healthcare careers. What you learn from lectures, textbooks, and research won’t begin to cover the many variables you’ll encounter working as a care provider. Every patient has unique health needs, goals, and physical challenges, as well as different biological makeup.

“One of the things that we pride ourselves on is the focus on experiential learning,” says Cesario. Northeastern University’s DPT program includes a comprehensive assessment of essential functions, such as the following:

• Decision making
• Critical analysis
• Leading therapeutic exercises
• Evaluating sensory information

Instead of simply taking in facts, students need ways to apply what they’re learning in real time so they can evaluate the full context of a situation.

Bouvé students conduct realistic assessments and movement therapies at the institution’s simulation lab, often working with local members of the community. PT students must learn to be attentive to what their clients are experiencing and adapt their treatment plans to get better results. “That really speaks to the co-op education aspect,” Cesario notes. “I think we do that very well here at Northeastern.”

Industry-aligned faculty

Faculty members are the stewards of your education, and their value as instructors will be very limited if they lack insight into the dynamics of real-world environments. This is especially true for programs with a high proportion of faculty who have spent much more time in the academic space than in clinical settings.

As a physical therapy student, it’s more beneficial to learn from professionals with substantial experience across many environments and firsthand knowledge of trends currently shaping the industry. Everything from lectures to writing assignments to patient simulation labs will offer more actionable information, because students can ask deeper questions and get multilayered perspectives based on what’s happening on the ground in healthcare.

Faculty credentials and range of specializations are another thing to consider when comparing DPT programs, Cesario notes. “We have a high fraction of our clinical faculty that have board certifications in the field.” This is particularly important if you’re interested in clinical specialization, such as neurology or cardiopulmonary physical therapy. Board-certified physical therapists have verified expertise in their specialty fields and must continue providing direct patient care to maintain their credentials, making them the best source of information for students.

Valuable partnerships

Consider what resources are available locally when evaluating a DPT program. Once you’re ready to conduct research, network with mentors, do internships, or find a job, you’ll want an abundance of options for moving your career forward. Look for schools with strong partnerships with other influential healthcare organizations and private physical therapy practices. Otherwise, you might struggle to find opportunities that align with your goals.

“We are well-positioned in Boston, so for students to have access to these major medical centers can be a major plus,” says Cesario. “It’s not to say that everyone will have experiences at these institutions, but our position in the community makes these opportunities a possibility.”

Extensive alumni networks

Attending a college with a highly active alumni community can make your job search much easier and offer you various advantages throughout your education. If you can tap into a large network of experienced PTs for things like informational interviews and job shadowing, you’ll have the chance to establish relationships with well-connected healthcare professionals long before you graduate.

Keep Northeastern’s vast resources top of mind if you’re thinking about enrolling. “We have a very loyal and dependable alumni network from our program that is always looking for ways to give back to our current students. In some cases, this means hiring them when they graduate,” says Cesario.

Preparing for your career in physical therapy

While the answer to the question “what is a Doctor of Physical Therapy?” seems simple, the differences in the admissions criteria, depth of curriculum, specialized concentrations, and learning models tell a different story. Where you pursue a physical therapy education can have a huge impact on the long-term value of your degree.

Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences’ Postbaccalaureate Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree offers amazing opportunities for PT students. From the expert faculty to the experiential learning resources, students gain all the tools, support, and skills they need to start their physical therapy careers from a strong position. If you’re interested in learning about enrollment options and the DPT program , contact a Northeastern University admissions counselor.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2023 and has since been updated for relevance and accuracy.

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