Where was the first physical therapy program?

• A. Reed College
• B. University of Chicago
• C. Johns Hopkins
• D. Stanford

Answer: (A)

This item tests the history of formal physical therapy education. The first dedicated physical therapy program was established at Reed College, marking the move from informal, hospital-based training to a structured, degree-granting curriculum for training therapists. That program introduced standardized coursework in anatomy, physiology, therapeutic techniques, and supervised clinical practice, which set a professional standard that later schools followed and helped pave the way for licensure and accreditation.

While other institutions like the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford have played influential roles in medical education and rehabilitation, they did not initiate the first dedicated physical therapy program.