Air Force officials select Airmen for physical therapy training

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An Air Force board here selected two Airmen to attend the U.S. Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

First Lt. Ronald Miller of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., and Tech. Sgt. Aaron Butler of Moody AFB, Ga., were selected to attend the 28-month academic program beginning in October, which will be followed by a one-year internship.

The board met Dec. 15 and selected two of eight applicants. Applicants selected had an average 1,090 Graduate Record Examination score and a 3.81 GPA.

The doctoral program provides students entry-level competence in traditional physical therapy skills. Air Force enlisted students are commissioned in the Air Force Medical Science Corps as second lieutenants. Airmen join the Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps upon successful completion of training. Successful completion of the program awards a doctor of physical therapy degree from Baylor University.

Baylor University and the Army first teamed in 1971 to establish an entry-level master's degree program. In July 2002, the program was approved by Baylor University officials to transition to granting a doctor of physical therapy degree, and officials with the Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education subsequently granted approval for the change. The first doctor of physical therapy class began the program in December 2003 and graduated in April 2006.

The next board tentatively is scheduled to meet Dec. 14, 2010. Packages are due to the Air Force Personnel Center no later than Nov. 26.

For more information on program prerequisites, visit www.baylor.edu/graduate/pt.