Stanley V. Paris, PT, PhD, FAPTA, chairman of the board of directors for the University of St Augustine, St Augustine, Fla, talks about trends in the doctorate of physical therapy degree (DPT) and continuing education.

What are some recent enhancements to the University of St Augustine?

We have completed a $14 million expansion of classrooms, clinic, and wellness facilities at St Augustine and have laid the foundations for the San Diego campus. Additionally, we plan to begin an EdD degree and restart our DHSc degree. These two degrees will enable clinicians who wish to train online and weekends to become faculty. The St Augustine entry-level program is now the largest physical therapy program in the nation, and we also have the third largest occupational therapy program.

Please describe what is being offered in both the Boca Raton and San Diego campuses.

The Boca Raton location offering is unique. It's the only part-time, 12-trimester program that enables a fully employed individual to study at nights and come to a learning center on weekends to gain the hands-on skills and earn the DPT. The on-campus, full-time DPT program is completed in seven trimesters, whereas the FLEX program "online and weekends" can be completed in 12 trimesters.

San Diego is offering the DPT as we do in St Augustine and in addition will offer the 12-semester "online and weekends" FLEX DPT.

What are the latest trends in CEU course development and offerings?

We continuously try to improve our core manual therapy continuing educational courses, presenting much of the evidence for practice which is now in existence and was not a decade ago. However, we do not teach to the evidence but rather include it, for much that we do remains unsupported in the literature while not opposed to it. The University strongly supports research with its contributions to the Foundation of Physical Therapy, which are considerable.

What are the advantages and benefits of the University of St Augustine?

We try to be the best we can be in the areas of musculoskeletal practice. It's our goal to turn out hands-on, ready-to-go, professionally prepared therapists. We teach manual skills and encourage faculty to remain clinical. Faculty are judged by the students, not by the research grants that they bring in.