Graduate Program

Degree Offered

  • Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Admission Information

It is recommended that interested students attend an advisement session in the Physical Therapy Program during the spring, summer or fall semesters. Students may sign up for one of these sessions either by email or by phone. Students are admitted once a year, with classes beginning in the fall. The application deadline is October 15th.

Instructions to submit applications are available on-line through the Physical Therapy Program Web site.

Applicants who appear to be best qualified are invited for an interview. Final selection is made from the group of candidates interviewed. The program’s selection process does not discriminate against any student on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, creed or national group.

For further information, the program may be contacted at the address and phone number below:

The University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Physical Therapy Program
Attn: Admissions Chair
MSC09 5230
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 272-5479
HSC-UNMPTProgram@salud.unm.edu 

Pre-professional Educational Requirements

Applicants to the program must have a degree at the baccalaureate level from an accredited university, including 39 credit hours of science prerequisites. Please contact the program or visit the Physical Therapy Program Web site for specific course requirements.

Only candidates with overall GPA and Science prerequisite grade point averages of 3.0 or higher are considered.


Professional Curriculum

The professional program is eight semesters in length and begins with the fall session each year. Students take 120 credit hours of professional courses in the theory and practice of physical therapy and affiliate at clinical sites for professional experiences that are correlated with classroom activities. Professional courses are open only to those students that are admitted to the Physical Therapy Program.

This curriculum is in effect for students entering the program effective Fall 2017 and reflects changes to course titles and credit hours not in effect until the indicated semester.

Credit
Hours 
First Year Fall Semester
PT 505 Foundations 5
PT 506L Musculoskeletal Intervention I 2
PT 507L Musculoskeletal Concepts and Management I 5
PT 521L Human Anatomy I 4
PT 534 Evidenced Based Practice I 2
  Subtotal 18
  Spring Semester  
PT 508L Musculoskeletal Concepts and Management II 6
PT 509L Musculoskeletal Intervention II 3
PT 512 Patient Management and Clinical Decision Making I 1
PT 522L Anatomy II 4
PT 580 Prosthetics 2
PT 632 Advanced Evidenced-Based Practice 2
  Subtotal 18
  Summer Session
PT 511 Clinical Internship I 6
PT 691 Capstone Project 1
  Subtotal 7
Total Year 1 43
Second Year Fall Semester  
PT 545 Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy 2
PT 607L Neurological Evaluation and Treatment I 8
PT 612 Patient Management and Clinical Decision Making II 1
PT 662L Pediatrics 5
Subtotal 16
  Spring Semester
PT 608L Neurological Evaluation and Treatment II 8
PT 622 Biopsychosocial Practice 3
PT 660 Health, Wellness, and Fitness 3
PT 670 Gerontology 3
PT 691 Capstone Project 1
  Subtotal 18
  Summer Session  
PT 546 Pharmacology for Physical Therapists 2
PT 610 Acute Care 4
PT 680 Administration and Supervision I 2
PT 691 Capstone Project 1
  Subtotal 9
Total Year 2 43
Third Year Fall Semester  
PT 611 Clinical Internship II 6
PT 613 Cardiopulmonary 3
PT 640 Gender Health 2
PT 650 Autonomous Practice 3
PT 685 Advanced Spinal Manipulation 3
PT 691 Capstone Project 1
Subtotal 18
Spring Semester
PT 652 Clinical Internship III 6
PT 653 Service Learning 2
PT 654 Clinical Internship IV 6
PT 691 Capstone Project 1
PT 692 Board Preparation 1
Subtotal 16
Total Year 3
34
D.P.T. Curriculum Total  120


In addition to satisfactory completion of the didactic portion of the curriculum, students must successfully prepare and present a Capstone Project. Included in the curriculum are 36 weeks of full time clinical practice. Hospital and health care facilities throughout New Mexico and a limited number of facilities outside the state are utilized in the clinical education experiences.

Students in the Physical Therapy program pay tuition based on full-time graduate status at UNM. Estimated tuition and course fee costs for resident students for three years is $86,015.00, and for non-residents $122,300.00. The additional costs associated with all clinical education experiences, including transportation, room and board (approximately $1,600/rotation dependent on location), are borne by the student. Students are required to carry health insurance which is available through the University for a reasonable fee.


Courses

PT 351. Clinical Exercise in Physical Therapy. (3)



PT 505. Foundations. (5)



PT 506L. Musculoskeletal Intervention I [Orthopaedic Treatment I]. (2)



PT 507L. Musculoskeletal Concepts and Management I [Orthopedics I]. (5)



PT 508L. Musculoskeletal Concepts and Management II [Orthopedics II]. (6)



PT 509L. Musculoskeletal Intervention II [Orthopaedic Treatment II]. (3)



PT 511. Clinical Internship I. (6)



PT 512. Patient Management and Clinical Decision Making I. (1)



PT 521L. Human Anatomy I. (4)



PT 522L. Anatomy II. (4)



PT 534. Evidenced-Based Practice I. (2)



PT 545. Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy. (2)



PT 546. Pharmacology for Physical Therapists. (2)



PT 580. Prosthetics. (2)



PT 607L. Neurological Evaluation and Treatment I [Neurologic Physical Therapy I]. (8)



PT 608L. Neurological Evaluation and Treatment II [Neurologic Physical Therapy II]. (8)



PT 610. Acute Care. (4 )



PT 611. Clinical Internship II. (6)



PT 612. Patient Management and Clinical Decision Making II. (1)



PT 613. Cardiopulmonary. (3)



PT 622. Biopsychosocial Practice. (3)



PT 632. Evidence-Based Practice II. (2)



PT 640. Gender Health. (2)



PT 650. Autonomous Practice. (3)



PT 652. Clinical Internship III. (6)



PT 653. Service Learning. (2)



PT 654. Clinical Internship IV. (6)



PT 660. Health, Wellness and Fitness. (3)



PT 662L. Pediatrics. (5)



PT 670. Gerontology. (3)



PT 680. Administration and Supervision I. (1-2)



PT 685. Advanced Ortho Spine. (3)



PT 691. Capstone Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



PT 692. Board Preparation. (1)



PT 694. Physical Therapy Independent Study. (1-7)



PT 695. Special Topics in Physical Therapy. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



Course Search:




Keyword Search:

Office of the Registrar

MSC 11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809