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Physics in PT school
- Thread starter TxDPT14
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Do you have the Neumann book for Kinesiology? If you do, everything is explained very well. The large majority of the physics in the book deals with torque, so if you try to understand that you'll be fine! Plus the calculations don't go beyond multiplication and addition!
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im at the end of my second year and still do not understand why physics is a pre-req. the beginning portion of kines/biomechanics, there is some physics, but its not even hard.
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Part of me feels like the majority of prereqs apart from A&P are just to weed people out. No matter what anybody tells you, you don't go deep enough into chemistry to apply it to the physiology of the body/pharmacology/whatever they may be telling you. Like you said, the physics is super easy, really not requiring two semesters to comprehend at all. And the stuff from biology you'd need to know is typically covered in A&P/physiology. But people who do well in science courses more often than not are smart enough to handle the rigors of PT school, so it seems like a good way to measure success when sifting through applicants.
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That's what I've always believed. I'm sure many people decide not to go to PT school because of the pre-requisites. It's just another barrier to entry. And like you said, these classes separate those who are committed from those who are not. Everyone has the ability to do well, but some students probably aren't willing to endure them for the sake of PT school and take a different career path.
Learn torque and forces well. Those are definitely applicable in PT school, and I guess electromagnetism (comes up when discussing e-stim).
Kevin
As a faculty in PT school, I will tell you physics is the MOST important pre-requisite you will take. Since most PT schools teach anatomy and physiology again, those are weed out classes. And chemistry....well biochem may be important, but the rest.....not wrong on that.
O god, I feel your pain. I hate physics with the passion. Especially physics I lab. I got a C in the lab but got a B+ in the lecture. This was my first B & C during my undergrad. Im taking physics II right now. Im doing very well in the class. I plan on making A and a B in the lab.
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I've heard so many practicing PTs (including the ones I work with at the clinic where I'm an aide) say that they felt 2-semester physics was unnecessary. They all echoed similar sentiments listed in the posts above this that biomechanics, torque, and force were important. But realistically, what PT needs to know about nuclear physics, quantum mechanics, and superstring theory to treat a patient?
Agree. Unless you're going into research, then the second semester physics (light, electromagnetism, nuclear physics, etc) really won't help in the regular clinical setting.
I completely agree. Although I find this physics II interesting and easier, I have no use for "photon scattering effect"
i think you'll be fine. the physics that is important in PT practice and classes (for my program, mostly what other people have mentioned along with lever systems, mechanical advantage/moment arm, and newton's laws) was much easier for me to understand than traditional or general physics courses because it was applied to the human body--muscles, bones, joints--and it was taught in that context rather than "how long will it take for train A and train B to collide if they are traveling at blahblah." after exposure to physics in that way, it makes sense when you apply it to exam procedures, interventions, modalities, clinical conditions, etc. and it almost becomes second nature with patient care.
It really does not matter what I think about how well I think you will do in school. The school that accepted you thinks you will be successful, and as long as you think you will be successful, then those 2 things are all that matters. Since you got in, relax, enjoy, and have fun in PT school. If you get in and do not enjoy it, then the profession is not for you.
