UW-L to offer doctorate program

La Crosse Tribune, Sep 20, 2005 by Schott, Kate

The University of WisconsinLaCrosse is losing its island status when it comes to physical "therapy.

UW-L is one of the few universities that only offers a master's degree in physical therapy, said Karen Palmer McLean, associate dean of the College of Science and Health.

But that changed Sept. 9, when the UW System Board of Regents approved a consortial doctor of physical therapy program for both UW-L and UWMilwaukee - the first doctorate program at UW-L. The 34-month, 112-credit degree is a clinical doctorate and not a Ph.D., which is more researchfocused, McLean said.

The push for the higher degree is due to the demands put on the profession, said Gwyneth Straker, an associate professor in the physical therapy department.

The profession has changed considerably in the past few decades, McLean said.

Patients used to be referred to physical therapists; now, many physical therapists have their own practices and need to know if an ailment is something more than just a movement complaint. "I better know, if I'm seeing you, if you have a tumor or something I can't treat," McLean said. "I've got to be able to tell the difference."

The UW-L's lack of a doctorate program has been a problem, McLean said, since students tend to opt for a school where they can earn a doctorate because that's what the field demands she said. Three of the four other Wisconsin schools that have physical therapist programs - Marquette University, Concordia University and Carroll College - began offering doctorate programs this fall. UW-Madison continues to have a master's program.

Minnesota and Iowa each have four physical therapy degrees, all offering a doctorate; Illinois has seven physical therapy programs, four of which already offer a doctorate and the remaining three are developing one.

UW-L will have an entrylevel doctorate track, aimed at students who have a bachelor's degree in a discipline like biology and are looking to start a career in physical therapy, said Kimberly Harbst, program director of the UW-L physical therapy program.

The 44 students who started the master's program this summer at UWL have the option of completing the 101-credit, 30-month master's program or changing to the doctorate program. All other students entering the program in the future will earn the doctorate. Students will pay higher tuition that will help fund the program.

UW Regent Brent Smith said regents were impressed with the economic development potential of the degree, as well as the collaboration aspect. Such a degree could help both the statewide shortage of physical therapists and provide staffing in the Coulee Region, Smith noted.