As a future physical therapy professional, you will be entering a challenging but rewarding career in health care that helps individuals recovering from injury or illness or prevents the loss of skills among those at risk. In order to achieve success as a physical therapy professional, you will need to be able to think and act independently, be decisive, make accurate diagnoses, and solve problems knowledgeably and creatively.
Admission Requirements
The admission details and application requirements can be found on the DPT Program Guide site.
Comprehensive Review
How Do I Present a Competitive Application?
The educational admission of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Ohio State University is to prepare resilient, reflective thinkers who demonstrate compassion and diversity in background and thought, who are driven to support the health and well-being of the people of Ohio and the global community. The mission of the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is to advance the profession of physical therapy through education, research, service and leadership. We strive to create an environment where our students develop an understanding and appreciation of a variety of experiences and perspectives which will prepare them to care for patients of any racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic background.
Along with excellent grades, you will be judged on how well you can balance outside activities and responsibilities with schoolwork as an indicator of your ability to deal with the rigors of life as a physical therapist. Commitment to community service and ethical behavior, along with compassion, leadership ability and communication skills, are characteristics we seek in our future DPT students. Tell us about your experiences and how they helped you become the person you are today. We will draw this information from your essay responses, recommendation letters, interview, and the descriptions of the experiences you provide.
Our interview process involves multiple individual interviews with faculty members and clinical instructors. The primary purpose of the interviews is to identify individuals who will be able to deal compassionately and effectively with patients in interprofessional health care teams. Interviewers will explore the candidate’s motivation for seeking a physical therapy degree, understanding of the profession and of medical ethics, as well as his or her problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills.
Important Admission Deadlines
Ohio State's Division of Physical Therapy admits students on a continual basis throughout the autumn and spring from as early as October through May.
Deadlines/Dates
- August 5 - Deadline to submit the PTCAS application for early action
- September 2 - Final Deadline to submit the PTCAS application AND the supplemental application
- May - Classes begin
Interview Timeline
- Early-Action Applicants Only interviews will be held November 8 for those who applied by Aug. 5*
- General Applicants will be interviewed on Nov. 2.
* Applying early action does not obligate applicants to commit to Ohio State; rather, it is an opportunity to interview earlier than the general pool of applicants. Those who apply for early action but are not selected for an interview may be deferred for interview in November or may not receive an interview offer depending on the competitiveness of the application.
For those interested in the Fellowship Competition administered by the Graduate School at Ohio State, please contact HRSGraduateStudentServices@osumc.edu and please visit the Graduate Fellows website.
Program Statistics
2022-2023 Admission Statistics
- Ohio State Alum: 24%
- Ohio Residents: 56%
- Male/Female: 30% (M) 70% (F)
- Average Cumulative GPA: 3.8
- Cumulative GPA Range: 3.10-4.00
- Average Science/Math Prerequisite GPA: 3.7
- Science/Math Prerequisite GPA Range: 3.00-4.00
- Average Content Prerequisite GPA: 3.88
- Content Prerequisite GPA Range: 3.23-4.00
- Number of Verified Applications: 506
- Admitted: 72
- Enrolled: 50
*These statistics reflect the outcome of our most recent admissions cycle and should not be regarded as the program’s targeted admissions statistics.
Program Statistics
- Student to faculty ratio in laboratory skills courses ranges from 4:1 to 8:1, and overall is about 11:1
- Our NPTE Pass Rate has been 100%, and a First-time Pass Rate ranging from 95-100%
- All graduates from Ohio State's DPT program report being employed within 6 months of graduation
- More than 2,500 alumni have graduated from the Physical Therapy Program since 1955