Physical therapists today must be more than clinicians with excellent hands-on skills. They must be effective communicators, reflective and analytical professionals, and compassionate and engaged caregivers. Nazareth University's physical therapy degree program stresses all of these, giving students the knowledge and skills to treat the whole client.
Our D.P.T. program combines classroom studies with hands-on clinical experiences beginning in the first full semester, allowing students to practice skills under the supervision of faculty and community-based physical therapists. These clinical experiences both provide authentic learning environments and supply much-needed services to the community. All students complete a full, two-year research project with a faculty member, and more than 70% of these are accepted for presentation at state and national professional conferences.
100% of physical therapy students in 2022-23 received financial assistance.
At a clinical experience at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, physical therapy student Reilly Smyth '19, '21G worked with an 18-year-old who needed help after a car accident that obstructed his breathing, tore his liver/spleen, and caused multiple fractures. At that acute care hospital, Smyth worked with him on treadmill training with overhead harness systems, gait training with music, therapeutic activities with the facility dogs, and dual-task activities toward his goals to get home, finish his senior year of high school, and apply to colleges. "By the end of his stay at Kessler, he was independent with walking and stairs using one axillary crutch," says Reilly. She writes about that memorable experience and more in a post on the PT blog. Read about her experience >
Andrew Opett, PT, DPT, OCS
Clinical Associate Professor, Department Chair
For questions, contact PT@naz.edu
"The Nazareth PT program is exceptional. The faculty members all have diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. The on-campus clinics provide services to the Rochester community and opportunities for students to perform PT on real patients, while professors provide mentorship and guidance in a clinical setting. I had the privilege of working with patients of various diagnoses in the clinics and this helped prepare me for my internships and career. Nazareth prepared me for complex neurorehabilitation, leadership, research, and academia."
— Mike Seils '11, '13G, who went on to teach physical therapy as an assistant professor at Daemen College and to conduct research on interprofessional collaboration and neuromuscular rehabilitation.
In addition to on-campus clinical experiences, field experiences include:
Our graduates are well prepared for, and have pursued, residencies and advanced degrees such as:
The Physical Therapy Program at Nazareth University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org.