ADMISSIONS REQUREMENTS

Full-time students are admitted to the program which starts in the fall semester of each year.  The Program invites applications from individuals who have or will have received by the time of enrollment a baccalaureate degree granted by a college or university of recognized standing.

Prerequisites for Admission

At least 14 of the 17 prerequisite courses outlined above should be completed at the time of application.

For international applicants, the program's Admissions Committee is guided by the evaluation of educational credentials provided by the International Students and Scholars Office of Columbia University to determine the equivalency of an applicant's educational background in fulfilling the program's prerequisites for admission. The office can be reached at 212-854-3587 or E-mail: www.columbia.edu/cu/isso.

Information regarding the GRE can be obtained at http://www.gre.org
Information on the TOEFL examination can be obtained at http://www.toefl.org
Information on Columbia's English Placement Test can be obtained at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso

Volunteer or Work Related Experience Minimum of 75 hours Letters of Recommendation 3 required: 2 from academic sources 1 from a physical therapist University composite kept on file with Academic Advisor or Pre-Health Professions Committee is acceptable. Current Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Personal Interview

STUDENT SELECTION
The primary requirement for admission into the DPT program is the applicant's ability, as judged by the program's Admissions Committee, to complete the 3-year curriculum. Applicants who are admitted into the program have strong academic records as evidenced by their cumulative and science grade point averages, their breadth and depth of science background and their demonstrated consistency of improvement of undergraduate academic performance. A firm and clear commitment to physical therapy is another criterion for admission as manifested by work or volunteer experience. Qualities such as maturity and effective interpersonal relationships, as ascertained from the letters of recommendation and the personal interview are important admissions criteria.

If an applicant receives a provisional acceptance on the basis of course work still in progress, satisfactory completion (a grade of B- or higher) of all outstanding courses must be attained prior to matriculation as an entering student. Proof of current certification in CPR and First Aid is also required prior to starting the program.

All students must submit a final transcript that indicates the receipt of the baccalaureate degree.

The Program in Physical Therapy reserves the right to rescind an acceptance offer if the above are not completed by the start of program classes.

INTERVIEWS

All applicants who meet the minimal prerequisites will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants found to be competitive are invited for interview, which lasts the entire day. The interview process serves a dual purpose:

1. It provides a realistic evaluation of eligibility for admission into the program as it assess personality, clarity of thought, strength of academic background, quality of related clinical and work experience, and knowledge of the profession.

2. It gives the applicant an opportunity to learn more about the program's teaching and learning philosophy and to spend time with faculty and enrolled students to appraise the program in terms of meeting personal and professional growth.

The Program in Physical Therapy uses a rolling admissions format and applicants are notified of their acceptance status within 1-week post-interview. Interviews begin in early January, continue through February, and occur on either Friday or Saturday. A full class is accepted by early March.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION RELATED TO CUMULATIVE AND SCIENCE GPAs, TEST SCORES AND THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

GPAs and Test Scores

Students are admitted into the program with a range of cumulative grade points from 2.75 - 4.00. The same range has been reflected in the science grade point average. The Admissions Committee looks at a wide variety of factors ascertained from the application and supporting documentation as well as the personal interview. See Student Profiles for overview of the characteristics of each class 2009, 2010 and 2011.

An average GRE score is 500 for the verbal and quantitative portions of the exam and 4.0 for the Analytical Writing. Applicants may retake the GRE. Scores are not averaged but the Admissions Committee will consider one set of scores, from one testing date, which provides the highest point totals.

Over the past 3 years, mean GPAs and Test Scores have been constant as follows; undergraduate GPA (3.50), science GPA (3.40), GRE verbal (520), quantitative (640-650), analytical writing (5).

Use of advanced placement credit to fulfill prerequisite course work

Advance placement credit cannot be used to fulfill prerequisite course work. The courses do not need to be repeated but supplemental courses in lieu of the advanced placement credits need to be taken. For example; receipt of advanced placement for Biology I and II. These prerequisites can be fulfilled by taking any 2 biology courses.

Steady improvement of GPA

Some applicants start their undergraduate education with a not too stellar performance but improve their grade point average as they advance into their major area of study. This may not deter acceptance as the Admissions Committee takes into account academic maturity with an increasing grade point average as the applicant progresses from freshman through senior year.

Repeat of courses in the science prerequisites to achieve higher grades.

Applicants who repeat courses will have the initial grade for the course and the repeat grade averaged to obtain a final course grade. To enhance the science grade point it is recommend that applicants continue to take additional courses, preferably in the biological sciences, which is evaluated favorably by the Admissions Committee.

Preference to in-state vs. out of state residents

No preference is given. Columbia University is a private university. Every applicant is considered individually with regard to suitability for graduate study and expectation of scholarly attainment.

Receipt of an earned bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from a foreign university.

Columbia University’s program is an entry-level program for individuals seeking their first degree in physical therapy. The program cannot accept applicants with a physical therapy degree wishing to enhance their credentials to the DPT.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Columbia University's Program in Physical Therapy is dedicated to the education of students who will serve at the forefront of health care in an empathetic and effective manner. Successful completion of the program requires acquisition of didactic knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors. Delineated below are 5 areas that represent the cognitive, affective and psychomotor functions that the student must demonstrate in order to complete the DPT program. These functions are necessary to enable the individual to perform as a competent physical therapist in general practice.

All students must act in compliance with standards set forth by the American Physical Therapy Association's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. In addition, each student must be able to demonstrate the following essential functions with or without reasonable accommodations. These essential functions must be performed safely, consistently and efficiently in order to enter the program, continue studies and graduate.

Intellectual/Conceptual, Integrative, and Qualitative Skills

Students must have the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize information in a timely manner. Problem solving and diagnosis, including obtaining, interpreting, and documenting date are critical skills. These skills allow the student to make proper assessments and sound judgments, and appropriately prioritize therapeutic interventions to measure and record patient outcomes. In addition, students must be able to comprehend three-dimensional spatial relationships of anatomic structures.

Communication Skills

Students must have the ability to complete reading assignments, search and evaluate the literature, complete written assignments and maintain written records. They must be able to communicate in oral and written English effectively, efficiently, and sensitively. They must be able to communicate clearly in order to provide and elicit information, describe accurately changes in mood, activity and posture, and understand verbal as well as nonverbal communication. These skills must be performed in clinical settings as well as in the classroom. For example, students must be able to communicate rapidly and clearly during interdisciplinary meetings, elicit a thorough history from patients, and communicate complex findings in appropriate terms to patients, family and various members of the health care team.

Behavioral/Social Skills and Professionalism

Students must demonstrate attributes of empathy, integrity, concern, interest and motivation. They must possess the emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of sound judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to patient care, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. They must be able to adapt to ever-changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the fact of uncertainties and stresses which are inherent in the educational and patient-care processes.

Students must be able to identify and communicate the limits of their physical, emotional, and cognitive abilities to others and implement appropriate solutions.

Students must maintain a professional demeanor. They must possess adequate endurance to tolerate physically demanding workloads and to function effectively under stress. They are expected to accept appropriate suggestions and criticism and respond with suitable action.

Motor Skills

Students must have adequate motor skills to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. They must have ample motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other evaluative procedures. Students must have the ability to demonstrate and practice classroom activities, to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and to lift, guard and transfer patients safely.

Physical therapy interventions require the coordination of gross and fine movements, balance, and functional use of the senses. Students must have the manual dexterity and the ability to safely engage and modulate procedures involving grasping, fingering, pushing, pulling oscillating, holding, extending and rotating.

Sensory/Observation Skills

Students must be able to obtain information from lectures, laboratory dissections and demonstrations in laboratories and lectures. They must be able to monitor digital and waveform readings and graphic images to determine patient conditions. They must be able to supervise a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand.

A student who discloses a properly certified disability in a timely manner and follows the written procedures of Columbia University's Office of Disability Services will receive reasonable accommodation. An applicant with a disability or a degree candidate with a disability shall not, on the basis of his or her disability, be excluded from admission to or participation in the program.