RU doctor of physical therapy program earns prestigious accreditation

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program at Radford University recently received notification that it is now fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

CAPTE is the only agency in the United States recognized to accredit education programs for the preparation of physical therapists, and is nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. CAPTE attempts to ensure that accredited programs prepare graduates who will be effective contemporary practitioners of physical therapy.

"It takes a great deal of dedication and commitment to the education and preparation of practitioners of physical therapy to earn CAPTE accreditation. Congratulations go to the Radford University DPT faculty and staff for their hard work and unwavering focus on the success of the DPT program and the very thorough accreditation process," said Penelope W. Kyle, president of Radford University. "The achievement of accreditation underscores RU's mission of service to Virginia and our role in responding to the need for DPT professionals in communities across the Commonwealth.”

With CAPTE accreditation, RU DPT graduates can now sit for board certification tests and achieve state licensure by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. RU becomes the seventh university in Virginia to have a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program and is the only program serving Southwest Virginia. The first class of  Radford University DPT graduates was pinned during ceremonies May 9th as part of RU's Spring 2014 Commencement Weekend.

"Accreditation recognizes our distinguished faculty and their commitment to helping RU's students achieve success," said Edward Swanson, founding chair of the program and associate professor of physical therapy. "This is an achievement made possible by an excellent faculty and driven students who have been risk takers and fulfilled a commitment to put in the effort and time necessary to develop the curriculum of a new program."

To earn its accreditation, RU undertook the rigorous CAPTE process of accreditation of a new physical therapist education program by submitting an Application for Candidacy. In 2011 the Radford University Department of Physical Therapy was granted candidacy and began the program's implementation phase with the admission of its first class. Since then, the DPT program has moved into permanent lab, office and classroom spaces in Roanoke and has admitted two additional DPT classes.