Contact: Ellen Bank
843.792.2626
Nov. 4, 2004
CHARLESTON —The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has given Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) the green light to offer a doctoral program in physical therapy. The new program will begin in May 2005, replacing the university’s existing master’s program.
“Recently, the profession has seen a movement toward increased education,” said Dave Morrisette, associate professor in the MUSC program. “Now, we can attract students who were seeking doctoral programs at other institutions out of the state of South Carolina. In addition, with our research component, it will enable us to foster collaborative efforts with other universities, institutions and rehabilitation facilities within South Carolina.”
The move keeps the college abreast of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Vision 2020, which recommends that every physical therapy program in the nation should offer a doctoral degree.
According to Dr. Kathleen Cegles, director of the Physical Therapy Educational Program, “We’re teaching our students to regulate themselves as professional caregivers, especially in rural South Carolina where the population has limited access to health care. We want them to provide quality health care in areas of the state that do not have the facilities or advantages of the more metropolitan areas.”
“We’re increasing the depth and breadth of education in physical therapy,” said Morrisette. “The program offers more insight into basic and clinical sciences and delves deeper into the ethics of our profession.”
The program also focuses on education, teaching students to share their knowledge of preventative medicine with patients. “A large part of the physical therapist’s role is explaining and teaching,” added Morrisette.
Many studies have shown that in states like South Carolina, where the impact of diseases like diabetes, stroke and vascular diseases remains high, lifestyles greatly affect quality of life and severity of disease. A large number of intervention methods involve not medicine, but physical activities, highlighting the importance of physical therapy’s role in public health.
The college also developed a transitional program designed for individuals who graduated from MUSC with a master’s degree in physical therapy who want to earn their doctoral degrees. The transitional program will provide essential content to augment or enhance knowledge of current professional practice reflecting the most recent developments in the field.
#####