How much research is involved?

[Onyang]

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Hello everyone. I am going to begin pt school this up coming fall and I wanted to know how much research is actually involved in pt school. It seems like most grad student in different major such as physics, only do research. Or is it more lecture, hands on clinicals? Thanks.

 

[CherokeeWahine]

Depends on the school you attend. Some schools put more emphasis on research, others are more clinic-based.

 

[dizzy88]

It's a clinical doctorate degree, so the ultimate goal is to train you to be a clinician and not a researcher. The amount of research you have to do is dependent on the program. I go to a fairly research-oriented school and it's not too bad. The primary emphasis for us is understanding evidence based practice, not necessarily CONDUCTING research. Although, that option is there if you want it.

 

[goyo1010]

Like the others posted, it depends on your program, and ultimately the university/university system it's under. Like dizzy88 said, it is a clinical doctorate degree, so it more clinically based, rather than research based. However, it is still a doctorate degree, so some element of research is integrated into the curriculum. For example, 2 or 3 of your classes may be research based, where you're introduced to research and progress to where you actually get to do a research project (with a professor as your mentor) and in your third year, present it to the dept of pt and invited PTs from around the area.

 

[Onyang]

Like the others posted, it depends on your program, and ultimately the university/university system it's under. Like dizzy88 said, it is a clinical doctorate degree, so it more clinically based, rather than research based. However, it is still a doctorate degree, so some element of research is integrated into the curriculum. For example, 2 or 3 of your classes may be research based, where you're introduced to research and progress to where you actually get to do a research project (with a professor as your mentor) and in your third year, present it to the dept of pt and invited PTs from around the area.

Hey goyo. Thanks for the reply. I wil be going to Texas Women's Univerisity. Is this how TWU program set up? Is the research difficult? What are things you like and dislike about the program?

 

[goyo1010]

Hey goyo. Thanks for the reply. I wil be going to Texas Women's Univerisity. Is this how TWU program set up? Is the research difficult? What are things you like and dislike about the program?

Hey Onyang,

I answered your PM, but did catch this question.

You start Research in PT in your second semester (spring), and then you have 3 subsequent critical inquiries, where you will conduct and perform all your research. This is with a mentor, one of the professors. You will join them on a current project they're doing. By the Fall semester of your last year, you will present this to faculty, clinicians, and students at an annual presentation, and your posters will be graded and judged.

If you apply to the DPT-PhD program that they have and are accepted after the interview (second semester), you will start your own research by yourself, on your own time. You finish the track anywhere between 3-10 years post-DPT graduation.