About the School of Physical Therapy

The School of Physical Therapy at PNWU supports the University’s mission of educating and training health care professionals emphasizing service in rural and medically underserved communities throughout the Northwest.  The student-focused, patient-centered, dynamic, and collaborative learning environment centers around PNWU’s established culture of interprofessional education, compassion, innovation, and social responsibility, resulting in a new wave of physical therapists capable of revolutionizing the health of our communities. 

By demonstrating the value of movement and function for health and longevity, translating evidence from practice into action, and advocating for access to physical therapy in rural and medically underserved communities, PNWU Physical Therapists will impact health and health care delivery across lifespans. As movement system experts, PNWU DPT graduates will infuse innovative, evidence-informed practice in rural and medically underserved communities throughout the Northwest. 

Accreditation

Effective November 2, 2021, the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone:703.706.3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 509.249.7925 or email dpt@pnwu.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

CAPTE Timing and the Licensing Exam.

The DPT program will be evaluated for full-accreditation status in the third year of the first cohort (2024/2025).  Accreditation is anticipated to be received in the spring of 2025 prior to graduation of the first cohort which will be May 2025.  Based on Rule 7.2 (see below), graduates of the first cohort will be able to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as early as July 2025. 

New Rule: 7.2 Definition of Candidate for Accreditation

Candidate for Accreditation is a pre-accreditation status, awarded prior to enrollment of students in the technical (PTA programs) or professional (PT programs) phase of the program, which indicates that the physical therapy education program is progressing toward accreditation. All credits and degrees earned and issued by a program holding candidacy are considered to be from an accredited program.