ATS weighing options

[lionslhp]

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Hey, I am new here and have a few questions. I am a junior Athletic Training Student at a mid-major D1 university. I also play on the baseball team. I have a 3.8 GPA and have realized I do not want to work in a typical athletic training setting. I do not like the long hours and traveling due to family commitments. I have been attending PT due to a arm injury, and my PT is a PT/ATC so I had been talking to him about things. I will have an extra year of baseball eligibility due to a redshirt year after I graduate. This will give me 2 summer semesters, 1 fall, and 1 spring semester to take prerequisites that are not covered in my degree program. I was wondering if anyone had any input on what to do?

 

[rangardrum]

Hey, I am new here and have a few questions. I am a junior Athletic Training Student at a mid-major D1 university. I also play on the baseball team. I have a 3.8 GPA and have realized I do not want to work in a typical athletic training setting. I do not like the long hours and traveling due to family commitments. I have been attending PT due to a arm injury, and my PT is a PT/ATC so I had been talking to him about things. I will have an extra year of baseball eligibility due to a redshirt year after I graduate. This will give me 2 summer semesters, 1 fall, and 1 spring semester to take prerequisites that are not covered in my degree program. I was wondering if anyone had any input on what to do?

Aside from taking prerequisites, you'll want to prepare for the GRE and take the exam early enough where you could retake it if necessary. Your GPA is significantly higher than the average GPA of accepted students from last year's data (3.49), so you're looking great there. I'd imagine your prerequisite GPA will be equally strong if 3.8 is your overall.

In planning the classes you'll take, you might want to also check out prerequisites for specific PT programs you might be interested in to ensure there aren't any unusual prerequisites you're otherwise missing (some programs have an occasional uncommon prerequisite).

You'll want to get PT observation hours in at multiple settings too, but I might just be telling you things you already know.

Did you have any more specific questions?

 

[greco13]

I am also a student athlete and junior athletic training/pre-PT student. It seems that about 1/4 of the students in my ATR program are pre-PT or OT. We gain interest in rehab. science but also see the ugly side of ATR e.g. hours, pay, respect - PT/OT are better in all of those regards. If you pull the trigger and decide to pursue the pre-PT rout, you'll want to take the GRE soon. I suggest this summer. With Sr. clinical load, applying to PT programs, classes, practice and competition, and studying for the BOC, you won't want to save that 'til your Sr. year. Upperclassmen who are pre-PT in your program may also be able to give you some insight as to how they went about applying and such.

 

[lionslhp]

Well I will be taking another year of prereqs after I graduate and take my boards so I figured I would take the GRE then. I also agree that we see the ugly side with the hours, pay, and life style. My program director is not happy with those who do not want to work in a traditional setting either. He told me he would write me a letter of recommendation for med school or PA school but not PT school. I wish my undergrad degree would have had enough prereqs to apply to PT school without taking another year.

 

[greco13]

Well I will be taking another year of prereqs after I graduate and take my boards so I figured I would take the GRE then. I also agree that we see the ugly side with the hours, pay, and life style. My program director is not happy with those who do not want to work in a traditional setting either. He told me he would write me a letter of recommendation for med school or PA school but not PT school. I wish my undergrad degree would have had enough prereqs to apply to PT school without taking another year.

That's unfortunate your director takes that position. I too have felt hostility as a result of my deciding to pursue PT. Actually just last week I met with the AT supervising me at my rotation and he insisted that I tell him my plans after graduation. I tried to dance around the question the first time but eventually had to tell him I was applying to PT school. He gave me some crap that he needed to know in order to understand my goals for the clinical rotation...total BS. What it means is that he wants to form a bias and pay greater educational attention to those who want to continue in athletic training. He proceeded to explain the differences between AT and PT as if were an idiot. This sort of negative attention parallels the whole NATA vs. APTA / AT vs. PT scope of practice crap. I am happy that the faculty in my program are more excepting of PT. I feel I can openly talk about my interest in PT to them and have already gained LORs interning in a PT setting. In fact, some of our off-campus rotations are at OP PT clinics...

Having this extra year could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe you'll be able to get more/greater diversity of observation hours, earn better grades, gain greater insight as to where to apply through research, earn money, or 'recharge' before committing to another 3 years.