• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2010

Since physical therapy was first introduced in Korea, it has been 50 years past and Korean physical therapy has made rapid progress. However, history or educational system of Korean physical therapy is still not known worldwide. Now, for Korean physical therapy to go beyond Asia and leap toward the world, endless studies, efforts and publicity are required. Korean physical therapy first began by missionaries dispatched from other countries like America and Canada with Korean War, which occurred in 1950. After the War, Korean Physical Therapy is developed very fast. Korean Physical Therapy Association was founded in October 1, 1965 and many physical therapist were discharged. Korea became a full member of World Confederation of Physical Therapy(WCPT) in 1974, and held the 2nd Asia Pacific Confederation of Physical Therapy assembly in 1984 and WCPT assembly in 2005. Today, in 2010, licensed physical therapists are about 35,000 and there are physical therapy departments in 74 universities, and 17 universities have master's or doctor's degree courses. And there are many academic journals(more than 10) related to physical therapy that are published. Many Korean physical therapists are working at various countries like America or Australia, and are acknowledged with excellent treatment technology and academic studies. This thesis aims to shed new light to the history and educational system reorganization of Korean physical therapy and introduce it to the world, and establish the historical foundation to develop Korean physical therapy into the international level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate curriculums of physical therapy education. Methods : We identified the curriculums of physical therapy education by internet. Results : In Korea, education on physical therapy started as a two-year program in 1963, and recently reorganized as three or four years programs. Currently some ten schools offer physical therapy programs for master's and doctor's degrees. The member countries of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) provide approximately ten types of education programs that take two to six years. In Korea, the same programs have three or four years of education periods. The American Physical Therapist Association (APTA) launched on the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) course in the late 1990s, encouraging physical therapists to acquire a doctorate degree. In addition, the U.S. Vision 2020 envisions that all physical therapists acquire DPT by the year 2020. As the medical field becomes more professional and specialized, physical therapists are expected to supplement and even replace works of doctors, instead of merely assisting them. It is necessary to reinforce education programs and improve related school systems to enhance status of physical therapist in accordance with the changing social needs and to provide quality service to patients. Conclusion : We suggest to change the curriculum of Korea. It is more accurately reflected the scope, depth, breadth, and rigor of the high-quality education preparation needed for current and future practice.