Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)-California Campus
Message from the Department of Physical Therapy Education Chair
Deoghare, Harshavardhan, PT, PhD
On behalf of our community of Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Administrators, it is my distinct honor to welcome you to the Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU), Department of Physical Therapy Education (DPTE), located within the College of Health Sciences.
At DPTE our mission is, “To accept and educate a group of diverse students to graduate as Doctors of Physical Therapy, charged with enhancing and extending the quality of life in our community through clinical practice, service and research”. We have a distinguished history of achieving our mission and serving the community over last 26 years.
Our faculty and staff are committed to providing an outstanding educational experience. Faculty are comprised of scholars, researchers, administrators, and clinicians from the professions of Physical Therapy, Pharmacology and Education. All faculty members are committed to the preparation of the DPT professional who will be well versed in all aspects of Physical Therapy as a generalist, culturally competent and prepared to deliver humanistic patient-centered care.
WesternU DPT curriculum is future focused and responsive to the demands of the Physical Therapy practice, which are evolving. Students experience a variety of teaching methods including classroom lecture and discussion, laboratory experiences and online, web-based education. The program also includes clinical education experiences interspersed throughout the three-year curriculum and culminates in 24 weeks of clinical education experiences. All clinical experiences occur in a variety of clinical sites from coast to coast (including Hawaii). The clinical component of the curriculum prepares our students to be generalist practitioners who have exceptional problem-solving and critical thinking skills necessary for autonomous practice.
Our department has close ties with the local professional community and benefits from and active advisory board. These interactions result in an enriched academic experience and improved career opportunities for our students.
We are committed to excellence in teaching and our success is evident in our outstanding graduation rate as well as the licensure pass rate, way above the national norms.
DPTE is proud to include a passionate and dedicated community of alumni, students, faculty & staff, with creative talents from diverse backgrounds. Our outstanding opportunities for education, research and service, nationwide clinical experiences, and wonderful facilities located in Southern California will be an excellent place to start your health career and we look forward to taking this exciting journey with you.
If you are interested in our Doctor of Physical Therapy program, please check out our upcoming preview day. As Chair, I have an open-door policy and want to hear from you.
Thanks,
Harsha Deoghare PT, PhD
Assistant Dean of Research, College of Health Sciences (PA, PT, MSMS)
Chair, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy Education
Western University of Health Sciences
hdeoghare@westernu.edu
Office: (909)469-5437
WesternU DPT Three Year Program Outcomes
| Summary Performance for the School by Graduation Year | Summary Performance for All U.S.- Accredited Candidates by Graduation Year |
||||||||
| Graduation Year | Group | Number of Candidates | Number of Passing Candidates |
Pass Rate | Mean Scale Score | Confidence Interval of the Mean |
Pass Rate | Mean Scale Score | Standard Deviation Scale Score |
| 2024 | First Time | 33.0 | 27.0 | 81.8% | 659.7 | 12.2 | 88.9% | 669.4 | 58.1 |
| Ultimate | 33.0 | 27.0 | 81.8% | 659.7 | 12.2 | 91.4% | 671.3 | 56.1 | |
| 2023 | First Time | 50.0 | 36.0 | 72.0% | 641.0 | 9.0 | 84.9% | 658.3 | 59.7 |
| Ultimate | 50.0 | 48.0 | 96.0% | 656.1 | 7.4 | 97.5% | 667.3 | 49.8 | |
| 2022 | First Time | 46.0 | 41.0 | 89.1% | 675.9 | 9.7 | 84.8% | 660.0 | 60.0 |
| Ultimate | 46.0 | 46.0 | 100.0% | 681.5 | 8.8 | 98.7% | 669.6 | 48.5 | |
| 2 Year Average (2022, 2023) |
First Time | 48.0 | 38.5 | 80.6% | 658.5 | 9.4 | 84.9% | 659.2 | 59.9 |
| Ultimate | 48.0 | 47.0 | 98.0% | 668.8 | 8.1 | 98.1% | 668.5 | 49.2 | |
| Scale Scores of 600 and above are passing. | |||||||||
Complaints Which Fall Outside The Realm of Due Process:
Any stakeholder of Western University of Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy Education has the right to file a complaint and receive due process. Current students, prospective students, faculty, and staff should follow the established University policies available to these constituents. All other stakeholders, including, but not limited to employers of graduates, clinical education sites, and the public, may file a complaint under this policy. Complaints may be related to program policies, procedures, or other aspects of the program, including working with faculty and staff. Western University of Health Sciences prohibits any form of retaliation against any party making a complaint against the school or program, its faculty, or its students.
Procedure:
Complaints should be submitted in writing (mailed or emailed) and must be filed within one year from the event(s) in question. The written complaint must contain, at a minimum, the complainant’s name and signature, contact information, the date of submission, and a summary of the complaint. Anonymous complaints and phone calls will not be accepted.
A written complaint must be mailed or emailed to the Department chair/Program Director:
Harsha Deoghare PT PhD
Department of Physical Therapy Education College of Health Sciences
Western University of Health Sciences
450 E. 2nd Street Pomona, CA 91766
hdeoghare@westernu.edu
Office: (909)469-5437
Complaints about the Program Director/ Department Chair should be mailed to:
Gail M. Evans, EdD, MA
Acting Dean – College of Health Sciences
Western University of Health Sciences
450 E. 2nd Street Pomona, CA 91766
gevans@westernu.edu
Office: 909.706.3526
The department chair (or dean) or her/his designee will initially respond to the complainant within three weeks of receiving the complaint. The department takes all program-related complaints seriously. If at all possible, the matter will be reconciled at this point.
If the complainant believes that additional review is necessary, the dean will review the complaint and address it. If further review is needed, then the last line of complaint is with the Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Paula M. Crone, DO
Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Western University of Health Sciences
309 E. Second Street, Pomona, CA 91766
200 Mullins Drive, Lebanon, OR 97355
Office: (909) 469-5563
pcrone@westernu.edu
The complaint and documentation associated with the complaint will be kept in a locked file in the department chair’s office (or dean’s office for a complaint against the department chair chairperson) for 5 years.
Information about costs, scholarships and other financial aid can be found on the DPT Budget page.
Complete program cost information can also be found on this Financial Fact Sheet.
The Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy program in the Department of Physical Therapy Education at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia, 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org or visit their website to learn more. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please contact Dr. H. Deoghare, PT, PhD, at hdeoghare@westernu.edu.
CAPTE has a mechanism to consider formal complaints about physical therapy education programs that allege a program is not in compliance with one or more of CAPTE’s Evaluative Criteria or has violated any of CAPTE’s expectations related to academic integrity. In reviewing and acting on a complaint, CAPTE cannot and does not function as an arbiter between the complaint and the institution. Should CAPTE find that a complaint has merit and that the program is out of compliance with the Evaluative Criteria or the integrity statement(s), CAPTE can only require the program to come into compliance with the Evaluative Criteria. CAPTE cannot force a program into any specific resolution of the situation that resulted in the complaint. Students or other interested parties may file a formal complaint about a PT program with CAPTE at any time. To obtain the materials necessary for submitting a complaint, contact the APTA Accreditation Department at (703) 706-3245 or at accreditation@apta.org.