Division Chief and Program Director: W. Todd Cade, PT, PhD

Tiffany N. Adams, PT, DPT, MBA; Laura Case, PT, DPT; Richard Clendaniel, PT, PhD; Derek Clewley, DPT, PhD; Chad E. Cook, PT, PhD, MBA, FAPTA; J. Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD; Timothy D. Faw, PT, DPT, PhD; Jody Feld, PT, DPT, PhD; Adam Goode, PT, DPT, PhD; Jamie Greco, PT, DPT, EdD; Tiffany Hilton, PT, PhD; Jeffrey M. Hoder, PT, DPT; Maggie Horn, DPT, MPH, PhD; Gary E. Johnson, PT, DPT; Katie Myers, PT, DPT; Amy Pastva, PT, MA, PhD, CHSE; Laura Pietrosimone, PT, DPT PhD; Ashley Poole, PT, DPT; Michael Reiman, PT, DPT, PhD; Kelly Reynolds, PT, DPT; Marcus Roll, PT, DPT; Corey Simon, DPT, PhD

Website: medschool.duke.edu/education/health-professions-education-programs/doctor-physical-therapy-program

The Profession of Physical Therapy

Doctors of physical therapy apply knowledge of the basic sciences to the prevention and treatment of movement dysfunction resulting from disease or injury. The physical therapist screens, examines, evaluates, diagnoses, prognoses, and provides interventions across the lifespan. Patient interventions are focused on the prevention of dysfunction, the relief of pain, and the improvement of strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and joint range-of-motion to maximize functional potential. The variety of settings in which a physical therapist may work includes hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, sports facilities, home care agencies, and corporate businesses. With experience, additional education, and board certification, the physical therapist may choose to specialize in orthopedics, pediatrics, neurology, cardiopulmonary, sports physical therapy, clinical electrophysiology, women’s health, or geriatrics. Beyond clinical practice, physical therapists may also pursue roles in education, research, and administration. 

Mission Statement of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Division

The Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is committed to enhancing the health, wellness, function, and participation in the social and civic lives of all individuals. As a community of scholars engaged in discovery, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge in the best care of patients, our mission is to educate the next generation of clinical and scientific leaders through active learning experiences that promote critical thinking, so that our graduates will be engaged professionals, experts in movement science, and grounded in the discovery of knowledge for best physical therapy practice. 

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

The Duke DPT is a graduate professional degree program for entry into the profession of physical therapy. Upon successful completion of the didactic and clinical components of the curriculum, the student is awarded the DPT degree. The three-year full-time program, part of the Duke University School of Medicine, provides a comprehensive foundation in the art and science of physical therapy, and prepares graduates to serve as primary clinical care practitioners for patients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction, throughout the continuum of care. The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Duke University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; telephone: (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org.