Doctor of Physical Therapy: FAQs

The preferred deadline means that when this deadline passes, we will begin reviewing completed applications and accepting students at our discretion.

The final deadline means you can still submit any application materials up until this date, after which we will no longer accept any application materials for this year's cohort. It is important to remember that although you have until this deadline to complete your application, there is a risk that this year's cohort may reach capacity between the preferred and the final deadlines. With that in mind, we encourage you to submit all application materials before the preferred deadline.

No, you do not have to have all of your prerequisite coursework completed before you apply for admission to the DPT program. It is recommended that you have at least 75% of your prerequisite coursework completed before you apply to help ensure all prerequisite courses will have concluded before the program start date.

Yes, the DPT program requires a bachelor’s degree in any discipline as well as the program pre-requisites. These pre-requisites may be part of the completed degree, or taken in addition to the degree, from any regionally-accredited institution. If you are looking to obtain your Bachelor’s degree or pre-requisites from AHU visit our programs or admissions pages for additional information.

Invitations to interview will be sent to the email address that you’ve disclosed to PTCAS. Completion of our admission process does not guarantee an interview.

AdventHealth University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program embraces the university’s mission to prepare healthcare professionals who live the healing values of Christ. The program welcomes applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Students who are members of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church may receive special consideration during the admissions process by:

• Submitting all required application materials by the preferred deadline
• Indicating their SDA affiliation on the AHU custom question section of PTCAS, and
• Submitting a fourth letter of recommendation from an SDA pastor or other SDA church official

The additional letter of recommendation should discuss how the applicant’s faith impacts their interactions with others and their ability to fulfill AHU’s mission. This additional letter of recommendation must be submitted directly to the Program Admissions Coordinator:

AdventHealth University: Physical Therapy Program
ATTENTION: DPT Program Admissions Coordinator
671 Winyah Drive
Orlando, Florida 32803

Although Abnormal Psychology is a great class, your pre-requisite classes need to be General Psychology, and Human Development Across the Lifespan (i.e., Developmental Psychology, Human Growth and Development).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 28 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for physical therapy will come from the aging baby boomers, who are not only staying active later in life, but are more susceptible to health conditions, such as strokes, that may require physical therapy. In addition, physical therapists will be needed to treat people with mobility issues stemming from chronic conditions, such as diabetes or obesity.” The median salary for a physical therapist is $87,930 depending on position, years of experience, degree of education, geographic location, and practice setting. For more information on the physical therapy profession or the education required to become a physical therapist, please visit the American Physical Therapy Association's website at www.apta.org/ProspectiveStudents.