Some states are a little lacking as far as accredited physical therapy programs go. Thankfully, Florida is not one of them. There are ten physical therapy schools in Florida to choose from. Whether students are pursuing an undergraduate program in preparation for entrance to a physical therapy masters or doctorate program, or are well on their way to a career in physical therapy, having already completed their undergraduate studies, Florida is ripe with opportunities.
Preparing for a Career as a Physical Therapist
At one time, it was possible to work as a physical therapist without achieving a master’s or doctorate degree; however, recent regulatory changes now require at least a master’s degree in order to work in the field. Those who are just beginning their college career will need to complete an undergraduate program before gaining admittance to one of the many physical therapy schools in Florida for achieving a Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT) or a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT). Many colleges and universities offer both the appropriate undergraduate program and master’s or doctorate degree program required for working as a physical therapist.
Finding Work as a Physical Therapist in Florida
There is no shortage of positions available for those with the appropriate education and credentials for working in physical therapy in the State of Florida. Here are the top five cities for finding suitable employment in the physical therapy field:
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Gainesville
- Miami
- Orlando
- Tampa
Prerequisites for Physical Therapy Schools In Florida
Those who wish to pursue a career as a physical therapist must achieve a minimum of a master’s degree level of education. Admittance to a graduate school program requires a prerequisite bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Each graduate program also has its own criteria for admittance, so you will need to review the admission requirements with the college or university of your choice in order to determine exact requirements. Most Physical Therapy Schools in Florida require a minimum GPA of 2.5 to 3.0 for admittance, as well as a bachelors of Science degree rich in the physical sciences, including biology, anatomy and physiology.
Top Physical Therapy Schools in Florida
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU)
The School of Allied Health Sciences
334 Palmer Ave
Lewis-Beck Building Suite 306
Tallahassee, Florida 32307
Phone: (850)599-3818
Fax: (850)561-2457
Website: http://www.famu.edu/
Degree Programs: FAMU is one of Florida’s historic African American Universities and offer both a Bachelor’s of Health Sciences degree with a Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program.
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
Department of Physical Therapy and Human Performance
10501 FGCU Boulevard
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
Newark, DE 19716
Phone:(239)590-7530
Fax: (239)590-7474
Website: http://www.fgcu.edu/chp/pt/pt_home.html
Degree Programs: Undergraduate degrees from the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Performance at Florida Gulf Coast include a B.S. in Athletic Training and Human Performance. There are two graduate programs in Physical Therapy available at FGCU: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT), for those physical therapy professionals returning to school to pursue a doctorate degree.
Florida International University (FIU)
Department of Physical Therapy
11200 SW 8th Street
AHC3, Room 431A
Miami, FL 33199
Phone: (305)348-6640
Fax: (305)348-1979
Website: http://cnhs.fiu.edu/pt/index.html
Degree Program: The Department of Physical Therapy at FUI offers the doctorate degree program necessary for working as a professional physical therapist. Admission to the DPT program requires students to hold a bachelors degree from an accredited institution and to gain admittance to the graduate program at FUI.
University of Florida (UF)
College of Public Health & Health Professions
Department of Physical Therapy
Box 100154, UFHSC
Gainesville, FL 32610-0154
Phone: (352)273-6085
Fax: (352)273-6109
Website: http://pt.phhp.ufl.edu/
Degree Programs: UF’s Department of Physical Therapy offers two doctorate degree programs for those interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and an interdisciplinary PhD program in Rehabilitation Science (RSD). Additionally, the department also offers a Clinical Fellowship Program for orthopedic and sports physical therapy.
University of Miami (UM)
Department of Physical Therapy
5915 Ponce de Leon Blvd., 5th Floor
Coral Gables, FL 33146-2435
Phone: (305)284-4535
Fax: (305)284-6128
Website: http://www.pt.med.miami.edu/
Degree Programs: The University of Miami’s Department of Physical Therapy offers both the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Physical Therapy PhD programs, in addition to affiliated fellowship programs to further facilitate entrance into the physical therapy field for graduates.
The University of St. Augustine
Institute of Physical Therapy
1 University Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32086
Phone: (800)241-1027
Website: http://www.usa.edu/
Degree Programs: The University of St. Augustine Institute of Physical Therapy offers a seven trimester Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduate degree program to prepare students for working in the field of physical therapy.
Nova Southeastern University
Physical Therapy Department
3301 College Ave.
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL 33314-7796
Phone: (800)541-6682
Website: http://www.nova.edu/cah/pt/index.html
Degree Programs: Nova Southeastern University offers four distinct degree programs for those interested in physical therapy: (1) Entry Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (DPT); (2)Hybrid Entry Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (HE-DPT); (3) Transition Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (TDPT); (4) Doctor of Philosophy Program (Ph.D., PT). The Doctor of Philosophy Program is the first of its kind in the nation, offering practicing physical therapists the opportunity to pursue distance education in furtherance of their interests in research and teaching physical therapy.
University of Central Florida
Program in Physical Therapy
4000 Central Florida Boulevard
HPAI, Room 256 D
Orlando, FL 32816-8005
Phone: (407) 823-3462
Website: http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/health.pro/physical_therapy.shtml
Degree Programs: Masters
University of North Florida
Department of Clinical and Applied Movement Sciences
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224-7699
Phone: (904) 620-2841
Website: http://www.unf.edu
Degree Programs: Doctorate
University of South Florida
School of Physical Therapy &
Rehabilitation Science
12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, MDC 77
Tampa, FL 33612-4742
Phone: (813) 974-8870
Website: http://dpt.health.usf.edu
Degree Programs: Doctorate
You can also check the CAPTE website at www.capteonline.org for more information about Physical Therapy schools in Florida.
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