Physical Therapy

About

Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives? Are you interested in the human body and how it functions? A career in physical therapy might be right for you!

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program at Eastern Washington University prepares students for successful careers as physical therapy practitioners. Students gain practical experience while learning from our skilled faculty. Our graduates practice in clinics, hospitals, and practices across the country.

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Questions Answered by Students

EWU DPT Program Campus Tour

Why Study Physical Therapy at EWU?

Affordable Education

Our nationally-ranked program has one of the lowest tuition rates in the country.

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Get hands-on learning experience in our well-equipped research and anatomy labs.

Knowledgeable Instructors

Our diverse faculty is nationally recognized and respected in the profession.

Internship Experience

You'll complete a year of clinical internships with over 300 sites to choose from.

Excellent Job Opportunities

Our graduates have a high pass rate on the licensing exam and are highly sought after as employees in the profession.


What Will I Study?

  • Basic science and physical therapy skills
  • Clinical science and techniques for examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention
  • Medical science applied through client scenarios
  • Musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary and integumentary systems
  • Evidence-based practice and clinical research

For more curriculum information, visit our curriculum page.

Our class sizes are kept small each year to ensure that you get optimal learning opportunities, comprehensive instruction, and meaningful clinical experiences.

EWU PT in the Community

“With every patient I am utilizing verbal and nonverbal communication to build rapport and trust. I try my best to empower them by giving them education on their own resiliency and provide them with tools they can utilize in their lives.”

 

Read more about our partnership with the Union Gospel Mission.

Clinical Education

We are proud of the long tradition of excellent clinical education our students receive from the dedicated clinical faculty affiliated with our program.

Clinical education at EWU consists of 32 weeks total of physical therapy internships during the third year of the program and Integrative Clinical Education (ICE) during the summer between the first and second year of the program. The third-year internships will be two 10-week internships and one 12-week internship. Students are required to complete one internship in acute care, one in a rehabilitation setting and one in an elective setting. Students must leave Spokane for at least one of the internships. All students must complete and show proof of required immunizations before starting the first internship.

Washington State (RCW 43.43.830 et.seq) businesses and organizations are required to conduct criminal background checks of prospective employees or volunteers who may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults during the course of their employment or involvement with the business or organization. A disqualifying conviction will prevent employment or a clinical internship.

Accreditation

The graduates of the DPT Program are eligible to sit for state licensure examinations. We admit 38 students each fall.

Class of 2022Class of 2023Two Year Average
Graduation Rate100%97.5%98.7%
NPTE Pass Rate100%97.4%98.7%
Employment Rate100%100%100%

Any party who has a vested interest in the Department of Physical Therapy at Eastern Washington University may file a complaint against the program or an employee of the program. Complaints can come from constituents within the program (e.g., faculty members, staff members, students) or outside the program (e.g., employers of the program’s graduates, off-campus supervisors, professionals, etc.). The nature of the complaint determines the steps that should be taken:

  • Students who have complaints regarding sexual harassment should contact the Office of Human Resources, Rights, and Risks at Eastern Washington University.
  • Students who have complaints regarding grades received in courses or practicum should follow the university’s grade appeal policy, which can be found in the university catalog or by contacting the Office of Academic Affairs.
  • Students who have complaints of a general nature should follow procedures in the Student Handbook.
  • Faculty and staff members who have complaints against other faculty or staff members or against the department chair should follow the university’s grievance procedures. Contact the Office of Academic Affairs or the Office of Human Resources, Rights, and Risks for further information.
  • Any party who believes that the Physical Therapy Program is not in compliance with any number of accreditation standards should address their concerns to the Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy (CAPTE).

If you require further assistance in filing a complaint, contact the department chair, Dan Anton at 509.828.1375 or dan.anton@ewu.edu.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Eastern Washington University is accredited by the:

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)

3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
P: 703.706.3245
E: accreditation@apta.org
W: capteonline.org

If needing to contact the program directly, please call 509.828.1354 or email dpt@ewu.edu.