Posted 9/02/2008

Curriculum offers small classes, hands-on
instruction from skilled faculty

The Arnold School’s doctorate in physical therapy (DPT) is among the youngest programs on campus, so its director was pleasantly surprised when U.S. News and World Report recently ranked it among the top third in the nation.

Dr. Bruce McClenaghan said the magazine ranked the USC program 69th in the graduate health program category for physical therapy. USC’s ranking tied with 15 other colleges in a group of 210 across the U.S.

Doctoral Graduate Teaching Assistant Ashley Goodman, left and Dr. Stacy Fritz, faculty member of the Arnold School's doctorate in physical therapy program, work with a patient in Fritz's Rehabilitation Laboratory.

The DPT programs at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Medical College of Georgia also ranked 69th, although their programs have been in operation for decades, USN&WR reported in its 2009 list of "America's Best Graduate Schools."

All of the USN&WR health rankings are based on the results of surveys sent to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline. USC’s program is accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education.

The USC program has graduated only five classes since it began in 2004, said McClenaghan, adding he expected to see the school ranked by USN&WR, but not quite so soon.

“We pride ourselves on our small class size and the quality of our students. The small size of our enrollment allows students to have a number of opportunities and experiences that other programs just cannot offer,” he said.

Operating within the Department of Exercise Science of the Arnold School of Public Health is one of many features unique to the USC program, McClenaghan said.

“In some schools, the teaching is based on a medical model that deals mostly with learning how to treat a problem. With a public health emphasis, we teach our students more about injury prevention," he said.

Enrollment is restricted to 18 students, each of whom must complete an independent research project before graduation, McClenaghan said. Faculty members spend a lot of hands-on time developing clinical skills, advising and guiding student’s research efforts.

The research project also helps instill a philosophy of evidence-based practice. “In other words how you treat a patient is based upon sound clinical knowledge and research,” McClenaghan said.

Besides McClenaghan, the DPT core faculty team includes Dr. Cathy Arnot, Dr. Paul Beattie, Dr. Stacy Fritz, Dr Harriet Williams, and Dr Harvey Mathews.

Physical therapists are in high demand and job opportunities abound, said McClenaghan. The U.S. Department of Labor reports employment of physical therapists is expected to grow much faster than average with beginning salaries ranging from $55,030 to $78,080.

For more information, visit the DPT website.