Main Content:

Group Photo of DPT Students after participating in Fundraising event

Student Service Board

The Student Service Board was formed to transition leadership from department faculty members and licensed clinicians to student-run opportunities for three current clinical experiences and three community service organizations, as well as various community health events. Its mission is to help physical therapy students better understand the needs of the communities they will serve as future clinicians. Learn more about this unique experiential opportunity for Pitt PT students.

Professional Pledge Ceremony

The Professional Pledge Ceremony marks the DPT students' entrance into a health care community that holds each individual to the highest degree of professional conduct. Each year the first year DPT class pledges to accept the responsibilities that accompany the practice of physical therapy, along with emphasizing their dedication to the PT profession.

Meet and Greet Faculty

This annual activity is where the first-year DPT students mingle with the faculty, staff and other students as they enter into the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

Pitt Marquette Challenge

Four students each year work on fundraising events to support the efforts of the Foundation for Physical Therapy. The Pitt-Marquette Challenge is a student-led effort to support the Foundation. Money raised by the students at the University of Pittsburgh goes directly towards funding PT research. Pitt students have been very successful in their fundraising efforts over the last few years, often winning the “challenge” competition between all other physical therapist institutions.

Dr. Jessie Wright Memorial Award

This memorial award is given to a student in physical therapy who demonstrates superior achievement in his/her academic studies and who also displays the potential of becoming an outstanding clinician, which are two areas held in high esteem by Dr. Jessie Wright. She exemplified superior academic achievement in her chosen field and was well-known for her expertise in clinical practice.

PT Night

Physical Therapy students at the University of Pittsburgh have a long-standing tradition of hosting PT Night. This event gives the students the opportunity to “toast and roast” the faculty and poke fun at some of the most memorable moments that they have experienced in the program. 

A good time is had by all!

Fundraising and Community Service

The Physical Therapy students have the opportunity to participate in several Fundraising and Community Service events in our region. For examples, students have raised significant amount or money during the Arthritis Walk, an event that supports the Arthritis Foundation. Other examples include the “Healthy U” community fair as well as the Marquette Challenge event. 

Performance Improvement Projects

During the terminal clinical experiences in terms 6 and 7, students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program complete a performance improvement project, which is the culmination of the evidence-based practice sequence that runs over the 2.3-year Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. For this project, students analyze and interpret process of care and clinical outcomes data that are collected during the terminal clinical experiences. Analysis and interpretation of the data focuses on demonstrating the student’s adherence to clinical guidelines and achieved outcomes to critically appraise his/her clinical performance with the intent of identifying opportunities for improvement. For the project, students write two papers, the first of which focuses on developing a clinical performance improvement plan and the latter focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of the plan. Students also participate in two group presentations that summarize the project, the last of which occurs during a capstone event in the week prior to graduation. The skills that students develop throughout the DPT curriculum teach them to use data to critically appraise and improve their clinical performance, thus they are well poised to provide value-based care in today's challenging health care environment.

  • #1
    Ranked DPT Program in the U.S.