Doctor of Physical Therapy | Samuel Merritt University

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 29-1123.00

Skills

Social PerceptivenessActive ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionService OrientationSpeakingWritingMonitoring

Knowledge

Customer and Personal ServiceTherapy and CounselingMedicine and DentistryPsychologyEnglish Language

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionWritten ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningInformation OrderingSpeech RecognitionSpeech Clarity

Tasks

Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improv
Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis
Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into com

Technology

Medical softwareAction gamesAnalytical or scientific softwareWord processing softwareAccounting software

Tools

Above-the-knee prostheticsAdjusting tablesAquacisersArm prostheticsAxial-resistance shoulder wheelsBabinski hammersBalance beamsBalance boardsBelow-the-knee prostheticsBiofeedback unitsBiomechanical ankle platform system BAPS systemsBlood pressure cuffsBolsters/wedgesCanesCervical pivots

Work Values

RelationshipsAchievementRecognitionWorking ConditionsIndependenceSupport

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: high29-1123.00	Physical Therapists	title_inference	$101,020 median$132,500 top	+10.93%	2,930

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: advanced (Level 4)(based on Doctoral Degree)

Strategic program development — design and lead organization-wide physical therapy service models aligned with clinical evidence, population health needs, and institutional strategic goals.
Clinical education and mentorship — develop structured competency frameworks and supervise the professional formation of emerging and developing physical therapists across academic and clinical training environments.
Research translation and scholarship — lead efforts to translate peer-reviewed evidence into clinical practice standards, authoring protocols and contributing written findings to professional and institutional publications.
Organizational outcomes leadership — direct systematic evaluation of department-wide patient outcomes using advanced analytical platforms, driving continuous quality improvement initiatives at the institutional level.
Interprofessional governance — represent physical therapy at executive-level care delivery committees, shaping interdisciplinary policies, care pathways, and cross-departmental collaboration frameworks.
Workforce and systems planning — apply systems analysis and administration management expertise to forecast staffing needs, optimize resource allocation, and sustain high-performance therapy teams.
Policy and advocacy influence — engage healthcare administrators, regulatory bodies, and professional associations to advance physical therapy practice standards and scope-of-practice legislation.
Complex ethical decision-making — adjudicate high-stakes clinical and organizational ethical dilemmas involving patient autonomy, resource constraints, and professional standards at the leadership level.
Advanced instructional program design — create and oversee continuing education curricula for licensed practitioners, integrating current knowledge in biology, physics, and psychology into applied clinical training.
Innovation and technology adoption — evaluate and champion the integration of emerging rehabilitation technologies, including motion analysis and digital therapeutics, to advance care quality across the organization.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.