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Upcoming Information Sessions

UAB DPT Admissions Information Session

March 28, 2025 12 p.m. Central Time (US and Canada).

All times listed are Central Standard Time. Please email DPTAdmissions@uab.edu and the zoom link will be emailed to you. Reach out to UAB DPT if you have questions prior to that time.

Contact Us

Jennifer Braswell Christy, PT, PhD

Program Director

jbraswel@uab.edu

Cara Bullard, PT, DPT

Admissions Chair

cms144@uab.edu
205-996-1359

Questions

DPTAdmissions@uab.edu
205-934-4363

Concern / Complaint

Click Here

instructor demonstrates procedure for studentApplication Process

Application Deadlines

2025-2026 PTCAS Application Cycle

July 1, 2025 - November 1, 2025.

Application Procedure

This program participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). For more information regarding specific PTCAS application requirements, procedures, and fees, visit the PTCAS website.

On July 1, 2025, PTCAS will begin accepting applications. PTCAS applications must be completed and verified by November 1, 2025, for the class beginning in January 2027. Applicants should send all application materials directly to PTCAS. PTCAS will verify the application information and send completed applications to our program. Only PTCAS-verified applications can be considered for admissions. Although our deadline is November 1, keep in mind it can take up to a few weeks for you application to be verified by PTCAS so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Following the program's receipt of the PTCAS application, the UAB Doctor of Physical Therapy Program admissions committee will review verified and completed applications. Based on the review, applicants are selected for acceptance to our program.

UAB will be offering an optional invitation only in-person Welcome Day Session in January 2026 for accepted applicants and those applicants on the alternate list. Those that attend will get to meet the faculty, staff, and current DPT students and they will learn about the curriculum, clinical rotations, research, and other program details. This in-person Welcome Day will occur in the School of Health Professions. If invited, details regarding this event will be included in the invitation following the program's receipt of the PTCAS application.

Transfer of Credit Policy

The UAB DPT Program will not accept transfer credits from other DPT programs because of the lack of consistency among DPT curricula.

Requirements

Evaluation Criteria

The UAB Department of Physical Therapy uses a holistic admissions approach congruent to our mission: “to prepare physical therapists who are evidence-based practitioners with the skills, knowledge and behaviors to deliver value-based physical therapy services, consultation, education, critical inquiry and administration, with a primary focus on clinical practice involving diverse populations.” Therefore, the admissions committee considers all aspects of the application submitted to PTCAS.

Applicants are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Overall GPA, Prerequisite GPA, last 60 hours GPA.
  • Quality of answers to the essay questions in the PTCAS application.
  • Quality of KIRA Assessment. Please dress professionally and record in a quiet, neutral space.
  • Quality of letters of recommendation
  • Holistic Admissions Assessment (To be determined)

KIRA Assessment

pdfConfidentiality Agreement

The KIRA assessment is a series of video and written questions that will take the place of in-person interviews. The assessment is a required scored component of your application. If the assessment is incomplete, your application will not be considered for admissions.

This assessment will give you a set amount of time to prepare and a set amount of time to respond to each question. The KIRA assessment will be scored by multiple members of the UAB DPT faculty. The assessment should take less than 60minutes to complete, and can be done on your own time. We highly recommend applicants utilize the practice feature multiple times to get familiar with the format prior to completing the formal assessment. Each applicant only gets one chance to complete the formal KIRA assessment.

To improve your assessment please consider:

  • Background and camera angle
  • Attire should be professional 
  • Answer all components of the question
  • This assessment is your interview

All applicants will be rated on the following competency areas:

  • Innovative and entrepreneurial
  • Resilience and grit
  • Compassion, empathy, and emotional intelligence
  • Problem solving
  • Cultural humility

PTCAS Application Troubleshooting

Please avoid these common mistakes as you complete your PTCAS application:

  1. All college transcripts were not sent to PTCAS. This includes all courses taken at community colleges, even during high school.
  2. The letters of recommendation were not completed. The professor letter must be from a professor whose course you took as an undergraduate student and who can attest to your academic strengths. The professional letter cannot be from a neighbor, friend or minister, unless you have worked with or for that individual.
  3. The PTCAS course matching service was retained, but the applicant did not ‘accept’ the courses they matched in their PTCAS application and thus your application is unable to be verified.

Admissions Process Timeline

  • July 1 – November 1, 2025 – Complete PTCAS application.
  • December – Students notified about admissions status.
  • January 2026 – Optional invitation only in-person Welcome Day.
  • January 11, 2027 – Program begins.

Our admissions committee makes decisions based on needs of the program and the current impact of COVID on our applicants. They always strive to put our applicant's current situation into consideration. As changes continue to happen across our country we will respond accordingly.


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Upcoming Information Sessions

UAB DPT Admissions Information Session

March 28, 2025 12 p.m. Central Time (US and Canada).

All times listed are Central Standard Time. Please email DPTAdmissions@uab.edu and the zoom link will be emailed to you. Reach out to UAB DPT if you have questions prior to that time.

Contact Us

Jennifer Braswell Christy, PT, PhD

Program Director

jbraswel@uab.edu

Cara Bullard, PT, DPT

Admissions Chair

cms144@uab.edu
205-996-1359

Questions

DPTAdmissions@uab.edu
205-934-4363

Concern / Complaint

Click Here