WSSU's Department of Physical Therapy provides an integrative education program that is well-grounded in the basic, social and clinical sciences. The program produces competent and compassionate clinicians who are skilled in the areas of critical thinking and inquiry, clinical problem-solving, research, education, management and treatment delivery to address health disparities.
The faculty provide students with the educational and experiential foundation to practice physical therapy and instill within them the values of integrity, dedication, responsibility, leadership, accountability, wisdom, commitment to personal and professional growth, and willingness to serve a diverse society.
Programs of Study
(entry-level)
(tDPT)
Announcements
- Fall Open House dates for the 2020-2021 cycle have been established in a virtual format. Please visit the "Open House Information" section on the Application Process page for more information!
- WSSU DPT and OT Students and Faculty are excited to announce a Virtual Balance & Fall Risk Screening Event on September 25th from 10:00am-12:00pm! For adults ages 65 and over, a one-on-one balance assessment will be performed through a virtual platform, along with customized home fitness recommendations, falls prevention tips, and referrals to virtual balance and falls prevention programs. To sign up, please click the following link to access our sign up form: Virtual Balance & Fall Risk Screening Sign Up Form. After completing the form, you will receive email confirmation and detailed instructions on setup in the virtual plaftorm that will allow us to assess you from the comfort of your own home. Please email aclfallsgrant@wssu.edu with any additional questions!
- In accordance with UNC System guidelines and CDC recommendations in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Department of Physical Therapy will be limiting non-WSSU affiliated visitors on campus for the foreseeable future. If you have questions or would like more information about the program, please contact Darren Gainey, WSSU DPT Program Associate, via telephone at 336-750-2190 or email at gaineydk@wssu.edu. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time!
- Due to unforeseen challenges secondary to the Covid-19 pandemic, the admission cycle for the WSSU-Novant Health Clinical Neurologic Residency program is on hold through the remainder of 2020. We will aim to resume the admission process in January, 2021, but do not have an exact date at this time. If you have applied to our program in 2020 and would like us to keep your application active, please email Sara Migliarese at migliaresesj@wssu.edu. We hope this update allows any interested candidate to continue employment and education plans that best meet their timelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Facilities & Technology
This innovative and unique program incorporates applied learning techniques across the curriculum using human patient simulation housed in a virtual hospital, I-PAD-based electronic learning technology, and student-directed community clinic learning labs supervised by program faculty. Students also have access to a state-of-the-art Human Movement and Biodynamics Lab.
Human Performance & Biodynamics Lab
The Human Performance and Biodynamics Laboratory is a collaboration between Wake Forest University School of Medicine's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Winston-Salem State University's Department of Physical Therapy. Physical therapists, physicians, and biomedical engineers design and conduct research in movement science and mentor students in motion analysis.
Community Care Clinic
WSSU's Department of Physical Therapy initiated a free physical therapy clinic housed within the Community Care Center of Winston-Salem, which services the medically uninsured and underserved residents of Forsyth, Stokes and Davie counties of North Carolina. The Community Care Center is the largest free medical clinic in North Carolina.
MSFit
WSSU's Department of Physical Therapy is partnering with MSFit Foundation to provide graduate students with hands-on experience working with MSFit participants.
DPT graduates embody the WSSU motto: "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve." The program framework builds on the core values of the physical therapy profession: professionalism, ethics, social responsibility, cultural competency, and autonomous and evidence-based practice. The sixth value grows out of the historical mission of the university to address health disparities in minority groups. These core values are inculcated in students as they move from the classroom to the laboratory to the community and to the clinic.
The CD Spangler Foundation awarded an initial $250,000 to the university, with the state matching, bringing a total of $500,000 to honor an outstanding innovator. A portion of these funds provides the salary for an endowed position- usually given to an individual who is a leader in their field, or provides a specialized function for the program that is not covered by state funds.
On Friday, April 22nd, 2016, the WSSU DPT program was happy to honor the founder of the program, Dr. Eddie Harden, JD, PT as the name of the endowed chair position. The faculty of the Department of Physical Therapy is proud to continue Dr. Harden's legacy and vision.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Winston-Salem State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, 703-706-3245, accreditation@apta.org.
If needing to contact The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Winston-Salem State University directly, please call Dr. Judy Foxworth, Interim Chair of the Department, at (336) 750-2190 or email foxworthj@wssu.edu.
The Department of Physical Therapy at Winston-Salem State University is committed to the timely payment of all accreditation fees and submission of required documentation to CAPTE. The departmental chair submits all required documentation by scheduled due dates to CAPTE and submits issued invoices in a timely manner to the university for payment. The university is responsible for payment of the required fee by the due date.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) developed and administered by The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to take the NPTE. Determination of eligibility to take the licensure exam is by the state board(s) of physical therapy examiners.
Hillside Student Perspective
Hillside is an opportunity that students can take during their final clinical rotations. Approximately three students per year take advantage of this opportunity, which counts towards their final clinical experience credits.
