Physical Therapy

The Department of Physical Therapy began in January of 2011. Effective May 12, 2020, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education elevated our status to approved for accreditation.

The Department currently consists of internationally renowned faculty and the world-class Human Biomechanics and Physiology Laboratory (HBAPL). The HBAPL houses our clinical entity: Targeted Enhanced Athletic Movement (TEAM). TEAM translates the evidence produced by the HBAPL and by other scientists from around the globe into the clinical practice of injury prevention, athletic development, and rehabilitation. We are growing rapidly driven by an innovative vision so please visit with us regularly as we continue our exciting journey.

Vision

The High Point University Department of Physical Therapy will be a student-centered, community-engaged, globally-involved educational, research, and clinical leader dedicated to the improvement of health and well-being through the advancement of knowledge in rehabilitation science and the practice of physical therapy.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Physical Therapy is to promote excellence in clinical practice by:

· Recruiting and developing leaders within the health professions who actively engage in meaningful interdisciplinary educational, research, or clinical experiences.

· Creating autonomous, ethical, and compassionate evidence-based clinicians and scientists who maximize the quality of life in the communities they serve

Values Statement

As a Department, we value integrity, honesty, kindness, respect, hard work, independence, responsibility, trust-worthiness, intrinsic motivation, humility, collegiality, skill, and excellence. We are committed to applying these values in all interactions as we strive to accomplish our mission.

There Is A Need!

The United States Department of Labor Statistics expects the physical therapist job market to grow at a much faster than average pace of 34% through the year 2024. The need is even greater worldwide. Market trends driving this need include the aging of the population, greater life expectancy, an increased prevalence of chronic diseases, a greater focus on health, prevention, and wellness, and the public demand for physical therapists as movement and neuromusculoskeletal experts.

Primary Providers with Unique Skills

Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed, independent practitioners who do not require referral or oversight to practice (direct access practitioners). However, PTs are also valued members of many collaborative healthcare teams due to their expertise in analyzing human movement and great skill in manual therapy.  PTs use these attributes, for example, to prevent injuries in athletes, restore functional ability in a patient who has had a stroke, or help a newborn child and mother adapt to and overcome developmental delays. In fact, you will find PTs practicing across the healthcare system and helping people throughout the lifespan. PTs can be found helping people of all ages in private practice, emergency rooms, neurological practice, sports and orthopedic clinics, holistic health centers, women’s and men’s health clinics, rheumatology practices, wellness clinics, and oncology practices, to name a few.

The Human Touch

Students wanting to become physical therapists should be compassionate, empathetic, driven, and intelligent. They should have a burning desire to help others and spend time doing so. Because physical therapy is such a hands-on profession, encounters with a single patient typically last for an hour and sometimes more. If you possess these attributes and dedicate yourself to develop these skills, there is a profession and a public waiting for you!