{"id":2284,"date":"2018-02-12T13:00:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-12T18:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/med.sites.unc.edu\/ahs\/physical\/?page_id=2284"},"modified":"2026-03-24T13:52:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T17:52:15","slug":"technical-standards-and-essential-functions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/programs\/doctor-of-physical-therapy-dpt\/technical-standards-and-essential-functions\/","title":{"rendered":"Technical Standards and Essential Functions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In order to perform as a physical therapist, an individual must be able to meet certain Technical Standards and Essential Functions. Technical Standards are \u201cskills and attributes [the Division] expects students to display; they are, by nature not academic or met solely through the acquisition of academic knowledge; however, some Technical Standards may be related to academic knowledge.\u201d In addition to skills and abilities that students possess upon entering the program, we expect students to demonstrate the potential for achieving Essential Functions through continued maturation and learning in the program. Essential Functions are \u201cthe knowledge, skills, and abilities that a student must demonstrate in order to continue to be \u2018qualified\u2019 once he or she is enrolled and to graduate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>View the complete list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2025\/06\/UNC-Division-of-Physical-Therapy-Technical-Standards-4-5-24.pdf\">UNC Division of Physical Therapy Technical Standards<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><div class=\"soliloquy-outer-container\" data-soliloquy-loaded=\"0\"><div aria-live=\"polite\" id=\"soliloquy-container-4417\" class=\"soliloquy-container soliloquy-transition-fade soliloquy-fade soliloquy-controls-active soliloquy-arrows-active soliloquy-default-slider soliloquy-theme-base no-js\" style=\"max-width:600px;margin:0 auto 20px;\"><ul id=\"soliloquy-4417\" class=\"soliloquy-slider soliloquy-slides soliloquy-wrap soliloquy-clear\"><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-1 soliloquy-id-4415 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4415\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8661-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-2 soliloquy-id-4411 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4411\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-2 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8753-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-3 soliloquy-id-4410 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4410\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-3 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8760-e1563374229473-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-4 soliloquy-id-4416 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4416\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-4 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8655-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-5 soliloquy-id-4414 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4414\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-5 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8681-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-6 soliloquy-id-4412 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4412\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-6 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8709-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-7 soliloquy-id-4413 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4413\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-7 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8705-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><li aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"soliloquy-item soliloquy-item-8 soliloquy-id-4409 soliloquy-image-slide\" draggable=\"false\" style=\"list-style:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"soliloquy-image-4409\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-image-8 soliloquy-preload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/plugins\/soliloquy\/assets\/css\/images\/holder.gif\" data-soliloquy-src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8788-600x400_c.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><noscript><div class=\"soliloquy-no-js\" style=\"display:none;visibility:hidden;height:0;line-height:0;opacity:0;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8661.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8753.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8760-e1563374229473.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8655.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8681.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8709.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8705.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"soliloquy-image soliloquy-no-js-image skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/583\/2019\/02\/DSC_8788.jpg\" alt=\"UNC PT Research\" \/><\/div><\/noscript><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In order to perform as a physical therapist, an individual must be able to meet certain Technical Standards and Essential Functions. Technical Standards are \u201cskills and attributes [the Division] expects students to display; they are, by nature not academic or met solely through the acquisition of academic knowledge; however, some Technical Standards may be related &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/programs\/doctor-of-physical-therapy-dpt\/technical-standards-and-essential-functions\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Technical Standards and Essential Functions\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56087,"featured_media":0,"parent":2256,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-2284","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Technical Standards and Essential Functions - Physical Therapy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/healthsciences\/physical\/programs\/doctor-of-physical-therapy-dpt\/technical-standards-and-essential-functions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Technical Standards and Essential Functions - Physical Therapy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In order to perform as a physical therapist, an individual must be able to meet certain Technical Standards and Essential Functions. 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