Entry Level Qualification
Research
Degree Course Entrance Exam
NEET PG
Course Details
Doctor of Philosophy in Physiotherapy or PhD Physiotherapy can be pursued by any student who has completed their postgraduate degree in the field. Physiotherapy, which is an allied medical sciences study of the human body, deals with the relevant impact of anatomy on the overall health of the mind and body. Usually, the duration of the course is three years in India, but it can go up to five years.
About Course
Doctor of Philosophy in Physiotherapy or PhD Physiotherapy can be pursued by any student who has completed their postgraduate degree in the field. Physiotherapy, which is an allied medical sciences study of the human body, deals with the relevant impact of anatomy on the overall health of the mind and body. Usually, the duration of the course is three years in India, but it can go up to five years.
All the Physiotherapy institutes offering Ph. D.s, such as BHU, AIIMS, Banasthali University, etc., follow the same school of thought and course delivery. Admissions to PhD Physiotherapy courses in India are based on merit or entrance exam scores. The course can cost students INR 20,000 to INR 30,00,000 depending on the duration and institute.
Why Choose Course And Required Skills
PhD Physiotherapy courses are subject to the same expectations and metrics. Hence, here are some of the chosen arguments in favor of the course.
These represent how the course can eventually prove to be beneficial to students choosing it:
Scope of Entrepreneurship: Physiotherapy, as a study, allows practitioners to pursue entrepreneurship. As the study involves not only the science of physical therapy but the effect of the environment as well, many physiotherapists choose to build their clinical studios to assist their patients in a mental state of recovery. Hence, students can expect from the course the freedom to establish an independent work structure and environment and personalize it for maximum benefit.
High Demand: Nowadays, the hectic and demanding lifestyle has pushed people not only with a need for a quick recovery but a solid one as well. They prefer to consult experts to ensure a solid and good recovery rather than leaving things to time. This has caused a high demand for Physiotherapists. Moreover, the modern lifestyle also creates various issues like posture deterioration which eventually lead to several diseases as well. In order to combat the same, the patients look out for Physiotherapists.
High Earnings: Since the demand is high, so is the pay. However, the demand is not the only factor working in favor of good income for Physiotherapists. The science uses physical anatomy to ensure good health and recovery of the patients, it provides a healthy foundation for them to pursue their everyday life and has lasting mental benefits as well. This is also one of the factors that make people invest in physiotherapy, even when they are not in a severe condition of therapeutic attention.
Research Opportunities: The demand for physiotherapy is also creating a demand for advancement in existing procedures and the invention of new ones. Recently, as the therapy has been observed to have connections with mental health as well, there has been increasing demand for the proper collaboration of the two. These factors give a wide scope of advancement to the study of physiotherapy. PhD Physiotherapy courses will allow students to actively pursue the research work in the study.
Opportunity to Touch Human Lives: Apart from treating patients, PhD Physiotherapy shall give the students an opportunity to work on the advancement of sciences. All this cumulates into a chance for students to touch human lives for the better. Their achievement in the study shall prove helpful and positive, especially for the modern lifestyle, treatment, and recovery procedures.
Required Skills to Become a Physiotherapist
PhD Physiotherapy can provide students with the qualifications required to get a job as a Physiotherapist. However, apart from education and knowledge, they will need some inherent skills to become successful in their chosen career. These skills need to be imbibed and worked upon constantly to get the desired results.
Here are some of the most important professional skills required in a Physiotherapist:
Physical Awareness: Physiotherapists need to have knowledge about the physical aspects of the human body. This includes the visible tissues and organs and the hidden framework, such as muscles and the skeleton system. Since this very knowledge is the basis of their services to patients, they need to ensure staying up to date with what they are saying, that is when they believe themselves to be forgetting something they must reaffirm their knowledge as soon as possible.
Communication Skills: The professionals have to interact on a regular and personal basis with their patients. Moreover, therapists need to use words and conversation to their advantage to help their patients. This makes it inevitable for them to have communication skills.
Interpersonal Skills: Though it is not possible to connect with everyone on a positive and comfortable note, it is a professional requirement for Physiotherapists. They need to establish a connection with their patients to help them and require interpersonal skills for the same.
Observational Skills: There are certain details that patients themselves are not even aware of. As their Physiotherapist, students shall have to observe their movements and progress during the sessions. All the guidance, communication, and progress and status noting require them to possess good observation skills.
Managerial Skills: Time management is very important for Physiotherapists. They have to deal with varying clients on a regular basis while ensuring proper time and attention to each. It is therefore expected that they have their calendar and schedule clearly set with the lowest possible instances of clashes.
Patience: In order to work efficiently with patients who are recovering from their problems and injuries, Physiotherapists need to be patient with them. Their patients cannot do things at their own pace and may need additional time and motivation to take even a single progressive step.
Eligibility
In order to pursue a PhD Physiotherapy course in India, applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria for admission. This is important as the course is highly qualified and also allied to medical sciences.
The common eligibility criteria for admission to PhD Physiotherapy courses in India for the students are:
1. To have an aggregate percentage of at least 55% in MSc Physiotherapy, and
2. To have the required cut-off score in the entrance exam applicable.
Entrance Exams Details
Here are some of the entrance examinations whose scores students can use to apply for the mentioned courses:
1. NEET PG
2. CUET
3. College-Specific Entrance Examinations
Degree Course Syllabus
Here are the subjects included in the course syllabus for PhD Physiotherapy in India:
PhD Physiotherapy Subjects |
Musculoskeletal & Sports | Neurology | Plasticity & Neuro-physiotherapy |
Cardio-Pulmonary | Health Promotion & CBR | Women’s Health |
Geriatrics | Bioengineering | Physical Fitness |
Life Style Modification | Electrotherapy | Kinesiotherapy |
Research Methodology | Rehabilitation | Palliative Care in Pain |
Oxygen Therapy & Oxygen Delivery Devices | Pre-operative and Postoperative Management of Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Disorders | Palliative Care in Paediatric Rehabilitation |
Chest Physiotherapy Techniques | Physiotherapy Management of Spinal Disorders & Dysfunctions | Physiotherapy Management of Fractures of Upper and Lower Extremity |
Physiotherapy Management of Amputation | Physiotherapy Management of Orthopaedic Diseases | Physiotherapy Management of Sports Injury, Soft Tissue Injuries, reconstructive Surgeries, Congenital Malformations |
Physiotherapy Management of CNS & PNS Dysfunctions | Physiotherapy Management of Infectious Disorders of the Nervous System | Physiotherapy Management of Acquired Brain Injury |
Physiotherapy Management of Paediatric Congenital and Acquired Conditions | Physiotherapy Management of Cardiovascular Diseases | Physiotherapy Management of Post-Cardiac Surgeries |
Physiotherapy Management of Respiratory Diseases | Physiotherapy Management of Pulmonary Surgeries | Palliative Care in Pulmonary Rehabilitation |
Physiotherapy Management of General Medical & Surgical Conditions | Palliative Care of Chronically Ill and Frail Elderly | Angiography |
Top Colleges
The best medical colleges for students to pursue PhD Physiotherapy courses in India are mentioned below, along with their annual tuition fees for the course:
Name of College | Annual Tuition Fees (in INR) |
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi | 6,000 |
All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mumbai | 26,000 |
Amity Institute of Physiotherapy, Noida | 1,10,000 |
Banasthali University, Jaipur | 78,000 |
Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi | 7,600 |
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani | 40,000 |
Dr. D Y Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pune | 1,72,000 |
K M Patel Institute of Physiotherapy, Jol | 5,10,000 |
Meenakshi College of Physiotherapy, Chennai | 25,000 |
Shri. Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurgaon | 1,50,000 |
Srinivas College of Physiotherapy and Research Centre, Mangalore | 60,000 |
University of Calcutta, Kolkata | 37,000 |
PhD Physiotherapy Study Abroad
Physiotherapy, as a method of recovery and rehabilitation, has been gaining popularity and recognition worldwide. The study provides hope and positivity to the sufferers of severe physical injuries and treatments. The nature and impact of this allied medical study are so massive that the career and advancement opportunities in various nations have nearly tripled in the last two decades.
Since the study is popular and known even abroad, Indian students can easily choose to pursue PhD Physiotherapy courses abroad as well. While the course duration and fees shall vary vastly from India, the qualification shall be hugely beneficial for their careers.
Here are some of the top universities abroad to pursue PhD Physiotherapy courses:
Name of the University | Country |
George Washington University | USA |
Karolinska Institute | Sweden |
King’s College London | UK |
Trinity College Dublin | Ireland |
University of Essex | UK |
University of Nicosia | Cyprus |
University of Otago | New Zealand |
University of Ottawa | Canada |
University of Pécs | Hungary |
University of Sydney | Australia |
Course Fees
In general, the following fee structure can be derived for PhD Physiotherapy courses in India:
Type of Institute | Average Annual Course Fees (in INR) |
Government and Semi-Government Universities and Colleges | 20,000-1,00,000 |
Private Colleges and Deemed Universities | 2,00,000-30,00,000 |
Top Recruiters And Salary
Salary
Physiotherapists are the high-earning individuals of present-day India, especially in urban settings.
Here are some of the job profiles of PhD Physiotherapy graduates and the average annual salary that they can expect in India from their jobs:
Job Profiles | Average Annual Salary (in INR) |
Physiotherapist | 4,00,000-7,00,000 |
Osteopath | 3,50,000-8,00,000 |
Physiotherapy Researcher | 6,00,000-10,00,000 |
Physiotherapy Professor | 5,00,000-10,00,000 |
Consultant | 8,00,000-15,00,000 |
Physiotherapy Clinic | 6,00,000-12,00,000 |
Course Scope And Career Options
In India, after completing PhD Physiotherapy, students can choose to make a career as a:
Physiotherapist: The person is responsible for assisting their patients in recovering from their disorders, surgeries, traumatic impact on the body, etc. Students can apply for jobs with an established clinic, hospital, rehabilitation centers, or as in-house Physiotherapists for sports teams.
Professor: Students can choose to contribute their services as a teacher and help future talent to hone and become qualified practitioners of Physiotherapy. They can alongside follow through with their research projects and other opinionated theoretical advancements.
Researcher: Students can join research centers to work as assistant research scientists initially. Over time, they can work their way up to their research projects. The scope of advancement in the field of Physiotherapy makes it a profitable endeavor.
Consultant: Upon graduation, students can opt to work with consultancy firms that help individuals through recovering process, both physically and mentally. They provide salaried employment to Physiotherapists to deal with their clientele.
Entrepreneur: Students can also set up their businesses as Physiotherapy Consultants or Physiotherapists. They can work either on a contractual basis or set up a clinic of their own.
Admission Process
Merit-Based Admission to PhD Physiotherapy Courses
Since MSc Physiotherapy is part of the eligibility criteria for admission to PhD Physiotherapy courses, a provision has been made. If the aggregate percentage and overall performance of the applicant in the MSc degree fall in the category of meritorious performance, they can get direct admission to PhD courses.
The admission process can be summarised as follows:
Step 1: After completing the BSc in Physiotherapy, students need to apply for MSc Physiotherapy courses.
Step 2: Complete the MSc Physiotherapy course with an aggregate percentage of 65% or above.
Step 3: Shortlist the colleges which provide direct admissions to PhD Physiotherapy courses on a merit basis.
Step 4: Fill out the application form and attach the MSc Physiotherapy mark sheet and other past academic records. Submit the application.
Step 5: Get the admission letter and submit the tuition fee for the first semester in the chosen college.
Entrance-Based Admission to PhD Physiotherapy Courses
The merit-based admission route is only available for students who have an aggregate of 65% or above in an MSc Physiotherapy degree. All the students who fail to satisfy this requirement need to appear for the entrance exams accepted by the chosen college for admission to their offered PhD Physiotherapy courses.
The entrance-based admission process can be described as follows:
Step 1: After completing a BSc in Physiotherapy, one needs to apply for MSc Physiotherapy courses.
Step 2: Complete the MSc Physiotherapy course with an aggregate percentage of 55% or above.
Step 3: Shortlist the colleges which students find suitable for their goals and check their eligibility criteria for applicable entrance examination scores.
Step 4: Appear for the applicable entrance exam or exams, and clear the cut-off score required by the shortlisted colleges for admission.
Step 5: Fill out and submit the application form along with the MSc Physiotherapy mark sheet, other past academic records, and the entrance exam scores. Submit the application.
Step 6: Await the admission letter or admission lists, and on confirmed admission submit the tuition fee for the first semester in the chosen college.