The Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). Students seeking admission to the DPT program must apply via http://www.ptcas.org.
DPT applicants will be evaluated weekly by the Admissions Committee beginning in July. In order to be considered for admission, the PTCAS application and all other required documents must be received prior to the outlined application deadlines. Competitive applicants will be invited, on an on-going basis, to attend the mandatory on-campus interview. Offers of admission will be extended once all DPT interviews have been completed. Be sure to apply early as available space for interview sessions may be exhausted before the posted application deadline. Offers of admission will be based on an applicant's entire academic profile including: cumulative grade point average, grades earned in the required prerequisite courses, pattern and history of grades earned during an undergraduate curriculum, GRE scores, strength of recommendations provided, interview results and breath/depth of the candidates physical therapy observation hours.
A Bachelor’s Degree (or expect to graduate prior to enrollment)
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or expect to graduate prior to enrolling in the DPT program. Credit hours must have been earned in colleges or universities whose names appear on the current list of Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education as compiled by the American Council on Education, One Dupont Circle NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. The bachelor’s degree may be in any field. No preference is given to applicants majoring in the sciences versus those with non-science majors.
Minimum GPA Requirements for Eligibility
Overall Undergraduate Cumulative GPA: 3.0 minimum
Program-specific Prerequisite GPA: 3.0 minimum
Prerequisite Courses
Prospective students may submit an application while enrolled in pre-requisite courses, but all courses must be completed prior to starting the DPT program. Grades of C- (C minus) and below cannot be used to satisfy the requirements for admission. Where possible, we will accept spring and summer 2020 coursework that is graded on a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis to fulfill a prerequisite course requirement, particularly if the applicant was not given the choice to take the course on this basis. We may, however, require proof from applicants that they were not offered the choice of receiving a letter grade, or that the choice to move to a Pass/Fail grading basis was made prior to seeing the final letter grade in the course.
Credit hours must have been earned in colleges or universities whose names appear on the current list of Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education as compiled by the American Council on Education, One Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC 20036. Students who have completed coursework in Maryland may review transfer courses at ARTSYS – Articulation System for Maryland Colleges and Universities. This is an online evaluation system that enables students to determine how courses taken at any two-year college in Maryland transfer to any four-year college or university in Maryland. The following courses, or equivalent, are required:
Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits may be used. AP or CLEP credits must appear in PTCAS. If used to fulfill prerequisite courses, the official scores must be mailed to PTRS.
AP SCORE CODE: 7784
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
More information on GRE testing is available on the ETS website.
Official score reports must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) -
http://www.gre.org
University of Maryland Institution Code: 5848
PTRS Department Code: 0619
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
A TOEFL score is required as part of the application process for individuals who do not speak English as their first or native language and/or for individuals who have lived less than 5 years in the United States.
http://www.toefl.org. The minimum required TOEFL score for admission into the DPT program is 213 for the computer based exam and 80 for the internet based exam. TOEFL scores are valid for two years.
University of Maryland Institution Code: 5848
PTRS Department Code: 48
Letters of Recommendation
One recommendation from a US licensed physical therapist you have observed.
One recommendation from PT-related, non-PT related, participation in college and university groups that provide service, cultural and faith-based groups, and national, regional, state, or local organizations.
One recommendation from an academic source. The academic recommendation must be completed by a college or university faculty member who has served as your instructor and has personally observed you in the classroom environment.
Physical Therapy Observation
A minimum of 50 hours is required at time of matriculation.
Update: PTRS requires observation hours to a total of 50 minimum for enrollment during the 2023-24 admissions cycle. It is preferred that applicants have at least 25 hours completed at time of application.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete observation of physical therapy practice in at least two to three different clinical settings (acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and/or outpatient practice) and with different patient populations (i.e. across the lifespan, varied clinical condition) to ensure exposure to a broad scope of physical therapy practice.
Community Service
It is recommended that applicants demonstrate on-going volunteer/non-paid service. Experiences should be different than the physical therapy observational hours. Community service can include participation in groups/organizations that provide service to the community at the national, regional, state, or local level.
Current CPR Certification
Certifications must be valid on the first day of class and must remain active throughout your enrollment in the DPT program.
CPR certification must include infant, child and adult resuscitation.
Courses delivered solely via a web-based format are not acceptable.
Hybrid format courses are acceptable: on-line instruction and in-person skills practice and testing.
Students are required to provide documentation of their current CPR certification.
The following are considered acceptable CPR certification programs:
For the upcoming 2023-2024 application cycle, PTCAS is scheduled to open to applicants on June 15, with applicant information to be shared with programs beginning on July 1.
The deadline for review of applications and selection for interviews for admission to the DPT program is November 1st. All applicants will be notified of a decision on their application by mid-December. The Admissions committee will make one of three decisions for each applicant: 1) acceptance; 2) denial; or 3) placement on the waitlist. Each applicant will be notified promptly of the decision. Applicants are strongly encouraged to APPLY AND SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE NOVEMBER 1st DEADLINE
Tuition and fees vary based on the year in which the student is enrolled in the DPT program and whether you are a Maryland state resident.
Tuition and Fees for DPT Program
CAPTE DPT Financial Fact Sheet
Required Device
The Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science (PTRS) will issue the required device to all incoming DPT Program students that the department specifies for their particular cohort. The device will be distributed at new student orientation. The fee for this device will appear on your tuition bill from Student Accounting. The projected cost of the device is approximately $900 which includes a 4 year warranty with on-site next business day service. There is no negotiation on using another device or exceptions to this policy. Students are financially responsible for the cost of the required device as soon as they matriculate into the DPT Program.
Federal Grants, Loans and Work-Study
The University of Maryland Office of Financial Aid can answer questions concerning the federal aid process. Federal financial aid includes grants, low-interest loans and work-study.
Website: http://www.umaryland.edu/fin/
E-mail: aidtalk@umaryland.edu
Phone: (410) 706-7347
Maryland State Awards
Maryland residents may apply for grants, scholarships and need-based financial aid through the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) - Office of Student Financial Assistance. Information concerning eligibility requirements for the Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant Program and other awards are available on the MHEC website at http://www.mhec.state.md.us.
All applicants have the right to appeal an admissions decision. Your appeal should be in writing and addressed to the following:
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Attention: Director for Academic Affairs for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program
100 Penn Street, Suite 115
Baltimore, MD 21201
The Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum is designed to be completed in 3 years with the goal to prepare physical therapy students to function as independent entry-level practitioners upon graduation. The curriculum is a unique block design that helps to integrate foundational and clinical science content across the lifespan. The first year has strong foundational science content and learning experiences which includes full cadaver dissection, lecture and laboratory sessions taught in a systems approach as well as a translational course that bridges foundational and clinical sciences. Two professional issues courses are taught in the first year as well to establish a strong professional foundation in our students to complement the medical training including scientific inquiry. The second-year coursework builds on the foundational sciences and focuses on the clinical science preparation across the lifespan. Laboratory sessions in these courses integrate concepts of clinical care and include sessions with patient/clients, simulated cases, and onsite/offsite clinical exposure and interprofessional education experiences. Clinical coursework during this year includes two unique integrated clinical experience courses with professional development and interprofessional education lab activities. The third year is comprised of three 11-week full-time clinical experiences. These opportunities are back loaded in the curriculum to enable the student to possess all needed skills to examine, evaluate, diagnose, and intervene appropriately for primary, secondary, and tertiary physical impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities. Mentored case reports and manuscript preparation are completed during the full-time clinical experiences integrating both clinical care, scholarship, and dissemination of clinical findings.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy, curriculum follows the rules of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. The degree prepares graduates to sit for professional licensure. The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy, curriculum satisfies the educational requirements for graduates to apply for licensure in the State of Maryland. University of Maryland School of Medicine has not made a determination if the Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum satisfies the educational requirements for any other States, U.S. territories, and/or protectorates. Each licensing authority sets and enforces its own professional licensing requirements and standards. Each student should inquire directly to the licensing authority in the jurisdiction where the student plans to seek licensure in order to determine the mandatory requirements to be licensed to practice. Contact information for the each State’s licensing board is listed below.
The Director of Faculty and Student Affairs reviews the academic status of students and makes recommendations for advancement according to the advancement criteria below. The Director of Faculty and Student Affairs may employ the AAC and other faculty as appropriate to assist in making recommendations.
The student is required to successfully complete the following before graduation:
Our clinical education program consists of two Integrated Clinical Experiences (ICEs) and three Full Time Clinical Experiences (FTCEs).
Integrated Clinical Experiences consist of one full day per week in clinical practice for eight weeks and occur during the fall and spring of the second year. Students are simultaneously involved in the Neuromuscular and Musculoskeletal Blocks of the didactic curriculum during these experiences. In addition to time spent in clinical visits, students participate in various professional practice opportunities as a part of the ICEs.
The Full Time Clinical Experiences occur during the third year and are each eleven weeks in length, for a total of 33 weeks of clinical education experience. Students will complete an experience in each of the following settings: medically complex, elective rehabilitation specialty, and community-based. Prior to the start of the full time clinical education experiences, students will have already completed the didactic curriculum and demonstrated readiness for clinical practice through written and performance-based assessments.
Clinical Education ContactsThe Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine is accredited by the:
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
3030 Potomac Ave, Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
telephone: 703-706-3245
email: accreditation@apta.org
website: http://www.capteonline.org.
If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 410-706-7720 or email ptadmissions@som.umaryland.edu.
Please visit our Graduate Outcomes page for information on graduation rate, licensure exam pass rate, and employment rate.