Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) Program

Sage Graduate School offers a transitional program for practicing physical therapists who wish to earn a clinical doctor of physical therapy degree. The transitional program enables licensed physical therapists to obtain degree parity with therapists who hold the entry-level DPT degree.

The Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at The Sage Colleges provides:

1. a quality educational program, primarily through a distance learning on-line curricular format, that reflects an augmentation in the physical therapist professional body of knowledge and practice over the last 5-10 years, allowing physical therapists to complete the program in a format that supports continued employment
2. a mechanism whereby experienced physical therapists may augment their knowledge and skills in areas that, together with any specialized knowledge and experience acquired over the years, would position them more strongly as a provider of physical therapy in a competitive health care system.
3. a valuable and exciting context for learning, including the rich and diverse interactions between physical therapists whose respective experiences provide an invaluable source of shared learning.
4. a curriculum that is customized to particular learners based on the date and degree level awarded in physical therapy, and their knowledge and experience, thereby minimizing the prospects for duplication of content.
5. a learning context, including the learner's experience and discourse, that reflects a breadth and depth of experience that cannot be present in a professional degree program with students who have no clinical experience.
6. credentialing at the clinical doctorate level with the opportunity for graduates to achieve parity with other clinical and associated professions that have converted to the doctorate level including optometry, podiatry, audiology, pharmacy and law.

tDPT Curriculum

Sage's tDPT curriculum is based on the APTA's Preferred t-DPT Curricular Guide and is also consistent with the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice and A Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education, Version 2000. Eight core courses in the tDPT curriculum are designed to "bridge" the gaps typically found between the entry-level bachelor and master's programs and the current entry-level DPT programs. The tDPT curriculum reflects an augmentation in the physical therapist professional body of knowledge and practice over the last 5-10 years and includes content in physical therapy differential diagnosis, screening for medical referral, medical imaging, pharmacotherapeutics, business management and administration, principles of evidenced-based practice and scientific inquiry. A capstone experience provides students the opportunity to engage in a faculty mentored clinical inquiry/research project related to their area of clinical practice. Upon completion tDPT students present their research/culminating project at the annual Sage Graduate School Research Symposium.

Delivery Mode:
The tDPT Program is offered primarily online, allowing clinicians to work full-time while pursuing the advanced degree part-time. The program can be completed in one to two years with one weekend each semester on campus. During the onsite weekend each course has a 4-8 hour class sesssion.

Course Schedule
Fall
PTY 615 Clinical Research Methods for PTs	3
PTY 723 Medical Imaging for PTs	2
PTY 725 Differential Diagnosis for PTs	4
PTY 768/769 Capstone Experience	3
Spring
PTY 720 Admin, Leadership & Bus Management for PTs	3
PTY 722 Educational Strategies for Clinical Practice	3
PTY 724 Pharmacotherapeutics for PTs	3
PTY 647 Analysis of Professional Literature in PT	3

Overview of Courses:

PTY 720 ADMINISTRATION, LEADERSHIP, AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (3 credits)

Topics will include:

• managerial and supervisory principles
• health care business principles
• management and business skills

PTY 722 EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES (3 credits)

Topics will include:

• learning and teaching styles, the domains of learning
  various teaching methods and their applicability to each of the learning domains,
• methods and tools for assessment of learner needs and outcomes,
• construction of educational sessions that meet the content and learner needs and incorporate relevant technical support,
• the role of the Clinical instructor in the delivery of clinical education,
• teaching in the academic setting.

PTY 723 MEDICAL IMAGING (2 credits)

Topics will include:

• the various types of medical imaging used in the four practice patterns
• integrating radiological findings with physical therapy practice

PTY 724 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS (3 credits)

Topics will include:

• pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
• dose-response relationships; administration routes; absorption and distribution; biotransformation and excretion; and potential drug interactions

PTY 725 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS (4 credits)

Topics will include:

• integrating findings from medical screenings, tests and images
• using critical thinking when evaluating complicated case studies
• identifying disease processes that mimic impairments typically treated by a physical therapist

 

Research Course Sequence:

PTY 615 CLINICAL RESEARCH METHODS (3 credits)

Topics will include:

• components of a research article
• methods used to conduct research
• measurement principles
• descriptive statistics
• reliability and validity
• data analysis

PTY 647 ANALYSIS OF THE PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE (3 credits)

Topics will include:

• using evidence based-practice in the clinical setting
• reading and discussion of various types of research articles

PTY 768/769 CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE (3 credits)

Students electing PTY 768 will write a clinical case report and evidence-based project. Those selecting PTY 769 will engage in experimental research. Students register for this course in the fall semester and complete the course requirements in the spring semester.

Topics will include:

• using the physical therapy literature in clinical practice
• oral and written presentation of the capstone
• using clinical decision making in practice or interpreting results dependent upon which capstone is chosen

Admission Requirements:

1. Earned entry-level bachelor's, master's, combined bachelor's/master's degree in physical therapy from an accredited program.
2. Official transcripts from all post secondary institutions attended
3. Current license to practice physical therapy in the United States
4. Current resume
5. Two professional letters of recommendation
6. A career goals statement/personal essay

Evaluation of Equivalency of Required tDPT Courses:

Clinicians who are able to demonstrate equivalency in formal graduate level academic course work or through advanced clinical professional development courses or activities may be granted equivalency credit or have some of the required courses waived. If requesting equivalency credit, also submit a detailed portfolio along with a letter of request when submitting application materials.

For an application for admission to Sage Graduate School for the Transitional DPT Program, please go to the Sage Graduate School Office of Admission.