University of Wisconsin - Madison

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a terrific school to pursue a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. One of the greatest things about UWM's DPT program is their small class sizes. The DPT class is between 23-27 students and this gives everyone the opportunity to have individualized instruction. Professors truly care about your success and will do anything to help improve your physical therapy skills in their state of the art facility. Students have access to numerous resources and have the opportunity... Read More to assist in research studies with professors. Being located in Milwaukee, the PT program is involved in many outside activities at local nursing homes, adult day centers, the Milwaukee Country Transit System, and with WASA. The curriculum is very challenging but you will be amazed by home much you learn in a short period of time. I'm so glad I chose UWM to pursue my graduate degree and I can't wait to see the opportunities that await me in the future.

The faculty are amazing!! They are both well known in the field and in their specialties as well approachable and available. Being a state-school, paying in-state tuition is low compared to many other PT programs and the quality of education is definitely high. The program is focused a lot on evidence-based and clinic-based practice. Students are also encouraged to get involved with the APTA and legislation surrounding PT issues. Madison is a college city so it is relatively safe and easy to get... Read More around via walking, biking, public transportation, etc. The draw-back to being a college town is the lack of near-by affordable housing; however, if you don't mind taking a 30-minute bus ride every day there are nice, surrounding areas with lower rent.

Pros: Very involved faculty that genuinely wants you to succeed and are willing to make sacrifices to help you to succeed. Students are very willing to help each other including creating study guides to share and forming study groups. 24/7 access to facilities. Some scholarships available during second and third years. Cons: The building, especially the labs, get very cold in the winter. No official opportunity to get to classmates prior to the Friday right before classes start. Not a very diverse... Read More group.