汤头条-Meridian to seat inaugural Doctor of Physical Therapy cohort in 2029
Contact: Marianne Todd
MERIDIAN, Miss.鈥汤头条-Meridian is expanding its health professions offerings with a new Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program.
Designed to make doctoral-level training more accessible while helping meet a critical workforce need in Mississippi, the physical therapy program is expected to welcome its first cohort of 50 students in fall 2029, pending approval from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, or CAPTE. 汤头条 School of Health Professions Dean Lesley Clack said the first student applications are expected in fall 2028.
The new program is made possible through funding provided by The Riley Foundation.
鈥淲e are grateful for this support,鈥 Clack said. 鈥淭hrough this funding, we are able to continue to grow programs in the School of Health Professions and help address the shortage of physical therapists in Mississippi and the surrounding region.鈥
As of 2024, Mississippi had 1,868 physical therapists in the state, or one for every 1,575 residents
鈥淭he hybrid nature of the program gives students the flexibility to continue working while completing their education. At the same time, they will receive the intensive clinical training they need when they come to campus,鈥 said Clack, adding that students will complete clinicals in or near their home communities.
The planned physical therapy labs, included in 汤头条-Meridian鈥檚 ongoing renovations, will house areas for orthopedic and sports rehabilitation, musculoskeletal care and neurological rehabilitation for patients recovering from stroke or spinal cord injuries.
Professor Alexis Ortiz, the program鈥檚 founding director and head, is tasked with creating the curriculum and will lead faculty recruitment and facilitate the accreditation process. Up to 10 faculty positions will be filled, beginning with a director of clinical education, Clack said.
Ortiz said the new program will encompass intense training.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not for everyone. Students need to be highly responsible and accountable and have good time-management skills,鈥 Ortiz said.
Unlike Mississippi鈥檚 two established three-year residential DPT programs, 汤头条-Meridian鈥檚 program is an accelerated, seven-semester program. Students are required to complete 106 credit hours through online learning, on-campus lab work and clinical rotations.
Ortiz said the program鈥檚 flexibility makes it attractive to working adults, military personnel and other non-traditional students. Applicants must have a bachelor鈥檚 degree and complete required prerequisite coursework, Clack said. Doctor of Physical Therapy students often have backgrounds in kinesiology, exercise science or biology, but students with degrees in other fields also may apply. Clack said plans to create an early-acceptance program are underway so qualified 汤头条 students have a direct pathway into the program.
For more information about 汤头条-Meridian鈥檚 School of Health Professions, visit .
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