Admissions

1.1 Admissions Qualifications: 

The Program welcomes applications from individuals seeking training in health and/or rehabilitation related research. Applicants often have clinical or research experience in a health and/or rehabilitation related field (e.g., physical or occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, nursing, physiatry, engineering, etc.). U.S. clinical certification and/or licensure is preferred (international licensure considered), but not required. Applicants with international licensure will be considered. Applicants must have a Masters (i.e., MS or MA) or clinical doctoral degree (i.e., DPT, OTD).

To be admitted, a student must have a primary Research Mentor identified. The primary Research Mentor is an experienced and active investigator engaged in a well-established program of research that aligns with the student’s interests. The Research Mentor is responsible for helping the student in all stages of their development. The Research Mentor may be an IHP Faculty member or adjunct professor with affiliation at another institution. The Research Mentor must formally commit to providing the time, training, and mentorship necessary for the student to develop and execute a successful dissertation. Secondary Research Mentors may also be engaged to help develop another area of research interest or provide complementary support, particularly if the primary research mentor is a new mentor or has a primary faculty appointment outside of the IHP  .

Admission decisions are based on a holistic application review that considers research experience, written personal statements, written letters of recommendation from former professors/clinical supervisors/colleagues, grade point averages (undergraduate and graduate),a personal interview and letter of support from the research mentor(s), and alignment with program objectives. The language of instruction and clinical education at the IHP is English and a high level of proficiency in both written and spoken English is required. Applicants who have not completed either an undergraduate or graduate program with English as the language of instruction must demonstrate English Language proficiency as part of their application. The IHP accepts either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) taken within two years of the application deadline; official score reports are required.