Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT)

Program Description

Doctor of physiotherapy is a healthcare profession aimed at changing and improving the mobility, physical independence and quality of life. It focuses on treating a variety of conditions including but not limited to Musculoskeletal, Neurological, Cardio-Respiratory, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Women Health and Sports Injuries. Its scope broadens towards functional disorders including symptoms of pain, edema, physiological, structural and psychosomatic ailments. The actual methodology includes methods of treatment based on movements, manual therapy, physical agents and therapeutic modalities to relieve the pain and other complications. The DPT program has contextual foundational background in biological, kinesiological and psychological sciences that are assimilated in logical and scientific manner. The graduates have the capability of providing the evidence based practice through competent skills and also by working in collaboration with other members of healthcare team. The developing needs and increased recognition of Physical Therapist’s skills in diagnosing, treating preventing illness and injuries has necessitated the profession to reevaluate its goals for the future and move towards more autonomy in patient. The DPT degree is quite innovative degree in terms of curriculum, duration of study and scope of clinical study. This degree also fulfills international requirements for physical therapy education, so the DPT graduates could get equivalency easily abroad.

Program Objectives and Goals

Objectives

Following are the main objectives of the Program:

Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the basic and clinical sciences relevant to physical therapy, both in their fundamental context and in their application to the discipline of physical therapy
Understand, correlate and apply theoretical foundations of knowledge to the practice of physical therapy; evaluate and clarify new or evolving theory relevant to physical therapy.
Demonstrate the behaviors of the scholarly clinician by developing and utilizing the process of critical thinking and inquiry, particularly focused on the improvement of the practice of physical therapy and the delivery of health care.
Engage in reflective practice through sound clinical decision making, critical self-assessment and commitment to lifelong learning
Demonstrate mastery of entry level professional clinical skills. Provision of these services is based on the best available evidence and includes physical therapy examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, prevention activities, wellness initiatives and appropriate health care utilization.
Prepared to influence the development of human health care regulations and policies that are consistent with the needs of the patient and of the society.
Demonstrate leadership, management, and communication skills to effectively participate in physical therapy practice and the health care team.
Incorporate and demonstrate positive attitudes and behaviors to all persons.
Demonstrate the professional and social skills to adapt to changing health care environments to effectively provide physical therapy care.

Goals

Following are the major goals of the Program:

Be primary providers of physical therapy care.
Serve as responsible members in the professional community and are willing and able to assume leadership roles in the communities they serve.
Identify researchable problems, advocate and participate in research, and incorporate research findings into clinical practice.
Understand and place in context the social, economic and cultural issues of practice and effectively advocate for changes in policy.
Correlate theory with practice and think creatively about, react to, adapt or shape new practice environments.

Why Study at PAF IAST?

Salient Features

Program approved from HEC
Ph.D qualified experience faculty members Faculty trained in foreign partner universities
Mandatory 500 hours structured industrial internship in bachelor programs.
Foreign faculty teaching from partner universities
Dual degree options
Opportunity to work with industrial practitioners.
Working on research projects funded by national and international organizations.
40 Gbps core network capacity
Campus-wide WiFi-6 compliant with 5G technology
Fully furnished hostels for boys and girls
Air-conditioned transportation
On campus medical, psychological and psychiatric care for students
Ancillary facilities like sports, open gymnasium, student teacher center

Location and Ambience

Natural mountains nestle PAF IAST that flank its campus from all sides. The institute offers one ravishing view of snow-capped peaks of Nathiagali and natural winding trails. Furthermore, to its north-west is Tarbela Lake, a journey of only a few kilometers from the campus. Moreover, set in the middle of the campus is a natural lake, fed by the springs of surrounding mountains. The campus is just a 3-kilometer drive from the Hazara Motorway. This results in an ideal setting equally conducive to academic activity. Most importantly, major cities like Islamabad, Abbottabad, are just an hour’s drive, while small towns like Wah, Hasanabadal, Taxila, and Swabi can be reached in just half an hour.

Technology Advancement and Foreign Partnership

This institute is an emerging center of excellences, with its own technology park. Therefore, all faculty members hold PhD degrees in appropriate disciplines. By virtue of its wide array of facilities and the facilitation for its students to learn. Furthermore, they benefit both from classroom teaching and faculty trained at premier Austrian universities/institutions. The institution is ideally cut out for imparting state-of–the-art engineering and allied education in Pakistan. Moreover, the institute enjoys close linkages with top ranking universities in Austria and China. As a result, we have already concluded with them formal agreements regarding student and faculty exchange programs, provision of dual degrees in certain areas, and the training support from foreign faculty.

Academia-Industry Relationship

There is a strong relationship between academia and industry. As a result, this paves the way for job opportunities for students even in the midst of their studies. PAF IAST will serve as a welcome platform for the industry to share their requirements for a skilled workforce. Therefore, this will enable the institute to incorporate their valuable inputs in practical vocational training and expose the students to industrial perspectives.

On-Spot Industry Internship

Firstly, it will be a mandatory requirement for every student to do an internship every semester in an appropriate industry. Secondly, this will garner them practical experience related to their respective degree programs. To crown it all, Technology Park will afford them rare opportunities to apply themselves innovatively and become promising entrepreneurs.

Need and Merit-based Scholarships

Different types of local and foreign scholarship opportunities are available on need and merit base.

Course Outline

1st Professional Semester 1

ANATOMY –I	DPT-101 DPT-101L	4(3-1)
PHYSIOLOGY-I	DPT-102 DPT-102L	3(2-1)
KINESIOLOGY-I	DPT-103 DPT-103L	3(2-1)
ENGLISH-I	SS-101	3(3-0)
PAKISTAN STUDIES	SS-112	2(2-0)
BIOSTATISTICS-I	MTH-212	3(3-0)
		18

1st Professional Semester 2

ANATOMY –II	DPT-104 DPT-104L	4(3-1)
PHYSIOLOGY-II	DPT-105 DPT-105L	3(2-1)
KINESIOLOGY-II	DPT-106 DPT-106L	3(2-1)
ENGLISH-II	SS-102	3(3-0)
ISLAMIC STUDIES / ETHICS	SS-111	2(2-0)
BIOSTATISTICS-II / UNIVERSITY OPTIONAL	MTH-310	3(3-0)
		18

2nd Professional Semester 1

ENGLISH-III (Technical Writing & Presentation Skills)	SS-103	3(3-0)
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER	COMP-102	3(2-1)
ANATOMY –III	DPT-211 DPT-211L	3(2-1)
PHYSIOLOGY-III	DPT-212 DPT-212L	3(2-1)
BIOMECHANICS & ERGONOMICS-I	DPT-202	3(3-0)
BIOCHEMISTRY & GENETICS I	DPT-201	2(2-0)
		17

2nd Professional Semester 2

ANATOMY-IV (Neuro Anatomy)	DPT-213 DPT-213L	3(2-1)
BIOMECHANICS & ERGONOMICS-II	DPT -271 DPT-271L	3(2-1)
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES *(Psychiatry & Psychology)*	DPT-221	3(3-0)
BIOCHEMISTRY& GENETICS II	DPT-203	2(2-0)
EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY	DPT-272	3(3-0)
MEDICAL PHYSICS	DPT-204	3(2-1)

3rd Professional Semester 1

PATHOLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY I	DPT-373	2(2-0)
PHARMACOLOGY I	DPT-301	3(3-0)
PHYSICAL AGENTS & ELECTROTHERAPY I	DPT-371 DPT0371L	3(2-1)
THERAPEUTIC EXERCISES & TECHNIQUES	DPT-372 DPT-372L	3(2-1)
SOCIOLOGY		2(2-0)
HEALTH & WELLNESS	DPT-302	2(2-0)
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE I	DPT-332L	3(0-3)
		18

3rd Professional Semester 2

PATHOLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY II	DPT-374	3(2-1)
PHARMACOLOGY II	DPT-303	2(2-0)
PHYSICAL AGENTS & ELECTROTHERAPY -II	DPT-375	3(2-1)
MANUAL THERAPY	DPT-361	3(2-1)
TEACHING METHODOLOGY & COMMUNITY MEDICINE	DPT-341	3(3-0)
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE II	DPT-333L	3(0-3)

4th Professional Semester 1

MEDICINE I	DPT-471	3(3-0)
SURGERY I	DPT-472	3(3-0)
RADIOLOGY & DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING	DPT-461 DPT-461L	3(2-1)
MUSCULOSKELETALPHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-462 DPT-462L	3(2-1)
HUMAN GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION	DPT-442	2(2-0)
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE III	DPT-431L	3(0-3)
		17

4th Professional Semester 2

MEDICINE II	DPT473	3(3-0)
SURGERY II	DPT-474	3(3-0)
NEUROLOGICAL PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-463 DPT-463L	3(2-1)
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE	DPT-481	3(2-1)
PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS	DPT-475	2(2-0)
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE IV	DPT-432L	3(0-3)

5th Professional Semester 1

CARDIOPULMONARY PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-476 DPT-476L	3(2-1)
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES & PRIMARY CARE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-477	2(2-0)
CLINICAL DECISION MAKING & DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS	DPT-531	3(3-0)
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY & RESEARCH METHODOLOGY	DPT-551 DPT-551L	3(2-1)
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE (LAWS , ETHICS &ADMINISTRATION)	DPT-571	2(2-0)
INTEGUMENTRY PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-572	2(2-0)
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE V	DPT-532L	3(0-3)

5th Professional Semester 2

OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGICAL PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-573	2(2-0)
PAEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-574	2(2-0)
GERONTOLOGY & GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-575	2(2-0)
SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY	DPT-576	2(2-0)
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE VI	DPT-532L	4(0-4)
RESEARCH PROJECT	DPT-591	3
RESEARCH PROJECT	DPT-592	3
		18
TOTAL CREDITS		175

Eligibility:

Minimum 60% marks in Intermediate (Pre-Medical) / A-Level (Biology Mandatory)