HPU Physical Therapy Graduates Get Accepted into Residency Programs at Three Times the National Average

HIGH POINT, N.C., Sept. 4, 2026 – High Point University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program had a quarter (25%) of its Class of 2025 get accepted into competitive post-doctoral residency programs after graduation.

That mark is more than three times the national average of DPT graduates who enroll in a residency, according to data collected from several national physical therapy agencies, including the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education.

A residency is an accredited, post-doctoral mentorship program that works very similar to a residency for physicians. Physical therapists in residencies work toward becoming specialists in their respective fields while continuing to see patients. HPU’s high placement rate offers further proof of its DPT program’s academic excellence, strong graduate outcomes and emphasis on promoting clinical practice experience for its students and alumni.

HPU tied a school record with 16 of the 62 DPT students who graduated in April of 2025 earning a post-doctoral residency in either orthopedic physical therapy, sports physical therapy or pelvic and women’s health physical therapy. The rest of the graduating class has gone on to launch successful careers as physical therapists. The DPT Class of 2024 also had a post-doctoral residency placement rate of 25%.

HPU’s DPT graduates in 2025 got accepted into residencies with well-known health care providers, prestigious universities and the federal government, including Atrium Health, the U.S. Air Force and the medical schools at Emory University and the University of Miami.

“Seeing our alumni match into competitive post-doctoral residencies at three times the national average speaks volumes about the quality of our doctoral program,” said Dr. Lance Mabry, assistant professor of physical therapy. “These practitioners do not just graduate; they enter the field with an intrinsic, lifelong commitment to clinical excellence and continuous professional growth.”

Residency-trained physical therapists typically command high salaries, enjoy a large scope of practice, demonstrate great diagnostic accuracy, perform effective treatment and have great clinical outcomes throughout their career.

Dr. Gianna Gravius enrolled in a residency program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after graduating from HPU with a DPT degree in 2025. She said she knew that she wanted to specialize in pelvic health and believed the UNC residency would provide her with the mentorship and additional training to become a pelvic health physical therapist.

In addition, Gravius said completing a residency would help prepare her to earn her board certification in pelvic and women’s health.

“My residency has helped me become much more confident in evaluating and treating a wide range of pelvic health conditions, including pelvic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, pregnancy and postpartum concerns, and conditions affecting all genders and ages,” said Gravius, a native of Holly Springs, North Carolina. “I have also learned how important it is to meet each patient where they are and create a treatment plan that is individualized to their specific goals and needs. Beyond improving my clinical skills, the residency has strengthened my clinical reasoning, communication, teaching and ability to collaborate with other health care providers. I know these experiences will help me provide better care and continue growing throughout my career.”

Dr. Ashton Cook, another member of the DPT Class of 2025, said she has increased her knowledge about sports physical therapy during her time in the University of Kentucky Sports Rehabilitation Residency Program in Lexington, Kentucky. She has also learned more about how to develop individualized training programs for athletes to help them rehab from injuries and be more successful during their seasons.

“Throughout all of my clinical rotations, I had several instructors who were board-certified and had completed residencies themselves. I always found myself learning the most from those individuals,” said Cook, who is from Blacklick, Ohio. “They challenged me to think critically about patient care and inspired me to want to practice at the top of my license and further enhance the entry level skills I learned in PT school.”

While at HPU, students in the DPT program are the first in the nation to be trained and equipped to perform diagnostic ultrasound imaging during their clinical experiences, thanks to nearly $77,000 in funding from an HPU Think BIG grant.

Students are integrating training in ultrasound imaging into their coursework, laboratory experiences and clinical rotations, helping prepare them for the evolving demands of practicing as a physical therapist. Ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of the body to help health care providers diagnose and treat conditions.