Based on the belief that health and function can be improved through physical interventions, Physical Therapy is a healing art that uses techniques like therapeutic exercise, joint and soft tissue mobilization, cardiovascular rehabilitation, wound care, neuromuscular re-education, and the use of physical and mechanical modalities to help treat patients. PTs are vital members of the health care team who work closely with physicians, physician assistants, occupational therapists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists, and others to meet the individual health care needs of each patient.

At GW, DPT students are a part of a tight-knit support network of faculty, professionals, and fellow students at a nationally-ranked university on an urban campus affiliated with a School of Public Health, a Medical School, and a University Hospital. Through ongoing clinical conference courses and the use of standardized patients, DPT students learn to integrate and apply new knowledge to clinical situations and to sharpen their professional, interpersonal, and clinical skills prior to entry into practice. With proximity to the DC Veterans Affairs Hospital, the National Rehabilitation Hospital, the American Physical Therapy Association, and other key organizations, the GW DPT experience is unlike any other.