The charter class of the College of Medicine’s School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Doctor of Physical Therapy program exceeded both state and national averages on the national licensing examination. Graduates must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) before they can practice physical therapy in the United States.

All 20 DPT students graduating this spring from the USF COM SPTRS – the DPT charter class of 2008 — successfully passed the NPTE. The USF students averaged a score of 659.05 compared to 647.88 for all U.S. physical therapy program graduates and 646.36 for all Florida graduates.

“With the implementation of a new examination blueprint this spring by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, the bar was significantly raised for the domains of knowledge, skill and affective values that a Doctor of Physical Therapy graduate must possess,” said William Quillen, PT, PhD, associate dean of the College of Medicine and director of the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences. “This achievement is a reflection of both the outstanding students we have at the School and the excellence of our interprofessional educational program and faculty at the College of Medicine.”

The University of South Florida was the first State University System institution authorized to implement the DPT degree in 2004. More than 100 students are currently enrolled in the program.