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OK, I want to major in physical therapy. Now, I've heard from some that Physical Therapy (like per-med) isn't a major, but rather a series of classes. Thus, in order to get into Physical Therapy school (like med school), one needs to take the core requirements rather than straight med school classes (so you can major in Spanish and get into med-school or phys. therapy school).

But I've also heard that it's not a series of classes, that it is an actual major, so you have to declare physical therapy as what you want to do whenever you choose a college (assuming you dont mark -undecided-).

The point I'm getting it is this: my understanding of physical therapy is that it is a major and that it is mostly available in public universities rather than LACs. So, if I want to be a physical therapist, I may have to attend Wisconsin rather than Holy Cross. Am I right?

If physical therapy is the former (that is, not a specific major but a series of required classes), then I can attend somewhere like Trinity College rather than Michigan because Trinity has classes that satisfy the requirements for physical therapy graduate school.

Can anybody shed some light on this? I'm really confused!

By Kmom (Kmom) on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 10:38 am: Edit

Hi - as a physical therapist teaching in a PT program, I hope I can give you some helpful information. You can go to the website of the American Physical Therapy Association (apta.org) as well.

All US accredited PT programs are now post-bachelors' degree- either a masters or doctoral level. There are no longer undergraduate PT programs, though some undergraduate schools do offer a pre-PT concentration, like pre-law or pre-med.

You can get a bachelors' degree anywhere and then apply to PT school, as long as you meet the requirements (which are similar to pre-med.) A solid liberal arts education including the required courses would be a great start - and you do not have to declare PT as a major as an undergraduate. There are some schools who do offer a combined undergraduate and PT degree - a 5-6 year program, where you can apply as a freshman but this is not required.

Typically, high school and college advisors do not have as much experience in pre-PT as they do with pre-law or pre-med. It is an evolving profession, and the number of students entering PT programs is much smaller than those entering other graduate-level professions.

Another resource for you would be to contact PT programs directly about their requirements and recommendations - a listing of accredited programs is available on the APTA website.

I hope this is helpful - and that you will continue to pursue this interest. I have been a PT for 25 years, and still find it to be a rewarding, challenging and interesting career. Let me know if you have any more questions - good luck!

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 11:01 am: Edit

In addition to the excellent suggestions above, you might try looking at these schools which I have listed as having specific pre-PT programs:

Azuza Pacific (CA)
Barry (FL)
Bowling Green (OH)
Bradley (IL)
SUNY BUffalo (NY)
Cal State Fresno, Sacramento
Clarke (IA)
U of CT
Dayton U
D'Youville (NY)
Pacific University (Oregon)
University of the Pacific (CA)
U of Scranton (PA)
Wilkes College (PA)
Ithaca College (PA)
U of Hartford (CT)
Evansville U (IN)
U of Houston (TX)
Indiana State
Purdue
Ithaca College
Manhattan College (NY)
U of Miami
Mt/ St. Mary's (CA)
Ohio State U
Regis (CO)
St. Louis U (MO)
Springfield College (MA)
Toledo (Ohio)
U of Wisconsin

By Justplayin104 (Justplayin104) on Saturday, September 27, 2003 - 06:34 pm: Edit

Thanks so much for the feedback. I'm glad to hear that my options won't be limited to large universities. I was considering Holy Cross and Trinity College as the LAC's in mind (esp. Holy Cross). But on the other hand, I was also heavily considering U of Wisconsin, which Carolyn says has a pre-PT program.. Things are looking up!

Kmom--

Suppose I want to specialize in something. In my case, I'm really involved in sports. Right now, it's cross country, and i love the lure of running as a sport beyond the in-season running. So I was considering specializing in sports medicine. So i've got a couple of questions:
A.) Would this affect my undergraduate college choice or classes in that I would have to take extra courses to prepare for to specialize in something?
B.) How long or what kind of extra schooling is necessary? What kind of degrees would I have to get?
C.) What can I do with a specialization in sports medicine? I know this sounds a bit ignorant of me, but would a regular PT's (if there is such a thing as a "regular"PT) work or patients differ from the work or patients of somebody specializing in sports medicine?

Thanks so much for your ad'vice. I've asked around, and I've gotten a lot of vague answers. It's nice to talk to somebody who knows what they're doing.
This also helps because I was considering going to Holy Cross' orientation/"meet-the-school" thing, and I would have hated to spend the money on a plane and car to go up there and find out that I couldn't attend if I wanted to go into Physical Therapy. So then i guess it's safe to invest in a trip (and possible visit Trinity while I'm up in the Northeast). Thanks!

By Kmom (Kmom) on Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 02:03 pm: Edit

Justplayin -

I'm happy to try to answer your questions - I read these boards for the college admission process for my 3 teenagers, none of whom are interested in PT. Oh well..

Yes, you can specialize as a PT in sports, but all PTs do have to meet all of the requirements to be a generalist PT before specializing. However, sports-related coursework is part of the basic curriculum, and students interested in sports may be able to do sports-related internships as part of the PT educational program. Beyond the entry-level masters or doctorate in PT, you could take an exam that would qualify you to be a sports clinical specialist. This would occur after some professional experience as a PT.

There are a variety of setting where PTs practice, which I think is one of the benefits of PT as a career. There are sports-specific clinics, as well as fitness centers. (PTs also work in outpatient facilities, hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes, home care, industrial settings, schools, and more - and work with a wide variety of patients and clients)

I think it's great that you are taking the time to learn about PT before applying to college. I would suggest that you try to talk with some PTs in your area, and observe their practices to see if they fit with your image of how you see yourself in the future. Many PT programs also require some volunteer work, so this would help you make some connections to help meet that requirement.

I wouldn't recommmend just picking up a phone book to find a practice, but suggest going to the apta.org website, and doing 2 things. On the right-hand side, you can access an on-line directory of certified specialists by specialty and location - you should be able to find someone near you who can share information about PT with you. Also, if you click on "Member Groups" in the left column of the home page, and then APTA Chapters, you can select your state and get contact information for your local state chapter. If you contact them, and tell them you are interested in speaking with a member about sports PT in your area, they may be able to help you. Another source of information would be any PT programs, especially in your state, even if you don't want to go there for your undergraduate degree.

As a parent as well as a PT, my personal recommendation for a high school student would be to continue to learn about the options available to you, and to stay broad and not too focused at this point. College is a wonderful time of growth and exploration, and unless you're 100% sure of your career goals, it's best to start by keeping your options open. I think this is the value of a liberal arts education, and would also allow you to continue to participate in sports on the college level. Again, as long as you have the required courses, this well-rounded undergraduate education would make you a strong candidate for admission to PT school. Keep in mind, though, that the traditional professional paths in many LACs are law, medicine, etc, and that you may need to continue to take the initiative to pursue alternatives like PT.

Again, I hope this helps; obviously I enjoy talking about PT as a career and hope there are others out there who benefit from this information as well.