Decided on PT school... now what?

[Cobra585]

The title of the thread is a little misleading because I'm not totally lost. I've also already started making moves in the right direction, but I'm a bit confused about a few things.

Some background: I earned my Bachelor's in History in 2011 and have been sort of living day to day since then. My GPA there was a 3.38. I recently decided to pursue PT after some first hand experience with it (slightly herniated disc in my lumbar spine). I immediately signed up for a few classes because unfortunately, I don't have any of the required pre-req courses (Bachelor of Arts). I'm in Statistic and Psychology now (both easy A's for me) and I'm going into Human Biology and Child Psychology next semester (Fall 2014). I've also started observations already and just finished three days of inpatient observations at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital here in Boston. I also work full-time at an unrelated job.

Some of my concerns: Are community college classes held in far less regard? Financially they'e a more feasible option and I'm certainly not taking them because they're easier (assuming that's even the case). Anyway, has anyone had experience with this? I'm going to be taking at least a couple classes at Harvard Extension School, but would it be advisable to take them all there even though its upwards of 3x more expensive?

What about related experience and letters of recommendation? I have no problem leaving my job that I have right now if I can get something related that will help me later. Like I said, I started observations already and they're great, but those are such short experiences that I can't really get recommendations from them.

My age is also something of a concern. I'm currently 25 and since most DPT programs I've looked at start in the summer, I won't be able to start a program until I'm 27. My pre-reqs are currently mapped out so I'm taking my last two classes the Spring of 2015. This would mean I'll be in school till I'm 30 and then with fellowships and residency that's another few years. Has anyone else started a career path like this so late in their life (relatively speaking, of course)?

That's related to another concern of what I should do to support myself while I'm in school. I know people do it every day and I'm certainly willing, but what are some good tips?

I'm looking to apply to programs in the Boston area and would really like to get into the MGH Institute of Health Professions. I'm also going to apply to Boston University and Northeastern. That said, I'm not opposed to leaving Boston if it's for a good program. I'm still not sure what concentration I would want within the field of PT so I'm not sure which school is the best fit for me now. Hopefully more observations in different settings will help me there.

Thanks for reading this if you did.

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[davidtheusername]

Most schools are perfectly fine with community college courses. It's extremely common to have those.

Letters of recommendations depend of the school, where I am applying just wants academic ones not ones from pt's. Other schools are different.

Your age shouldn't be an issue. At least it better not be since I'm 31. I've been a coach/teacher for most of the last 10 years. Fellowships and residencies are optional, and very few people seem to actually do them right now. I know people who started medical school in their mid-40's. PT school isn't as long as that and 27 isn't old at all. Plenty of people change careers and it shouldn't be an issue for you.

One admissions person I talked to was actually specifically excited to have somewhat older students apply.

 

[Cobra585]

Most schools are perfectly fine with community college courses. It's extremely common to have those.

Letters of recommendations depend of the school, where I am applying just wants academic ones not ones from pt's. Other schools are different.

Your age shouldn't be an issue. At least it better not be since I'm 31. I've been a coach/teacher for most of the last 10 years. Fellowships and residencies are optional, and very few people seem to actually do them right now. I know people who started medical school in their mid-40's. PT school isn't as long as that and 27 isn't old at all. Plenty of people change careers and it shouldn't be an issue for you.

One admissions person I talked to was actually specifically excited to have somewhat older students apply.

Thanks for he reply. Definitely makes me feel better knowing I'm not way too old to be getting into this. I met a girl in observations who was a student now and went right into a Bachelors/Doctorate program out of high school. Pays to know what you want to do, I suppose. I was kind of thinking that they might be more willing to accept someone with some years on them instead of someone right out of college. Good to know.

 

[scrawnyguy]

Thanks for he reply. Definitely makes me feel better knowing I'm not way too old to be getting into this. I met a girl in observations who was a student now and went right into a Bachelors/Doctorate program out of high school. Pays to know what you want to do, I suppose. I was kind of thinking that they might be more willing to accept someone with some years on them instead of someone right out of college. Good to know.

A few years of experience can be a advantage in my opinion. You've had a few years to experience the "real world" and decide what you want to do. The girl you mentioned hasn't had that opportunity. You can make the argument that admissions committees would prefer older students. If I was 22 I could totally bomb PT school and be young enough to recover. At 32 I don't have that luxury. I can't afford, time wise or money wise, to start over yet again. I'm going to go above and beyond to succeed.

 

[NMSK89]

Sounds like you've done your homework and are on the right track. I wouldn't worry too much about age, I'm starting Northeastern's program in January and I'll be 26, it's not that uncommon. I can't say how the schools you mentioned view community college courses, but I can say that the average accepted GPA of the three is ~3.7, so regardless of where you take your prereqs, focus on raising your GPA to a 3.5+ and you're in good shape.

 

[Cobra585]

Yea I'm focused on these pre-req classes more than anything right now. I should be able to pull straight A's since I'm only taking two classes at a time (while working full time).

What about relevant experience before I apply? I'm looking at PT Aide jobs on top of observations that could grant me some of that. Any other suggestions?

 

[davidtheusername]

Something like a PT aide job would be good if you have time. There are only so many hours in a day though. Make sure you leave yourself free time to prepare for the GRE. A good GRE can make up for some GPA issues, but when you've been out of school for a little bit some of the math can fade away so you'll need some time to study it.

 

[NMSK89]

I second what David said, a good GRE score, solid LOR's, and a well thought out personal statement will add far more to your application than excessive observation hours. I was told that once you obtain the recommended observation hours there are diminishing returns, so working as a rehab aide may not be worth it if done for that purpose. However, If you aren't in love with your current job and can make a similar pay check as an aide, there are benefits. Such as; patient interaction, mentorship, and a possible LOR.

 

[02143]

I'm a current student at MGH Institute of Health Professions and when we started last summer, our mean class age was 27.... you definitely will not be considered "old" when you're headed off to PT school!

 

[okramango]

Like everyone else is saying, community college is just fine for most PT programs. I'd say it's not worth going to Harvard Extension for any of your prereqs. Save your money.

There's also no need to quit your job to be a PT Aide or anything like that. Getting enough observation hours is enough (usually 100-200 for most programs, in at least 3 different settings). It can be a valuable experience if you have the time and can afford earning minimum wage, but it certainly won't make or break your application. Most people get letters of rec from professors or PTs from their observation experiences. Focus on forming relationships with them.

I was 35 when I decided to go to PT school, and I'll be 40 when I graduate, so you're young! Seriously, I think the average age of PT students in the US is somewhere around 27. You'll fit right in!

 

[Cobra585]

Thanks for all the info I'm glad my concerns are mostly unfounded. I'm taking most of my classes at a CC, but a couple I'll have to find somewhere else because they're not offered. If anyone knows where I can take a good exercise phisiology class in the Boston area let me know. As far as the PT Aide jobs, that would be mostly for networking more than anything else. I'm still not sure where I'll get my letters from. My saving grace right now though is that I won't be applying for a year. Gives me time to crush the GREs and work on perfecting everything. Thanks again for the tips it's really relieved some stress.

 

[NMSK89]

I took exercise physiology at my undergrad so I'm not too familiar with courses in Boston. I can however share some advice from Northeastern's DPT FAQ's page.

Is Exercise Physiology a requirement for the program?
Yes. This course may be taken at any accredited college or university. Exercise physiology courses are often offered from departments of exercise science or physiology. An on-line format of this course is offered by the United States Sports Academy & MGH Institute of Health Sciences.

 

[hockeygoalie]

You can take Exercise Physiology at Salem State as a continuing ed student. Also Umass lowell offers it in summers as a continuing ed class

 

[okramango]

If your programs allow ExPhys to be taken online, I know UCLA and U of New Mexico offer it online.
I suggest finding an instructor you like during your prereqs, and going to their office hours so they get to know you (to cultivate a recommendation letter). I ended up asking my Chem 2 teacher to write one because I really got to know her during the semester and did well in her class (I took all my prereqs at a CC, too). The two PTs that wrote letters for me were from the clinics where I did my observations. While I was observing, I made a point to really get to know them, ask a lot of questions, discuss ideas, etc, so they were able to write good letters about me.

 

[CortneyDPT]

The title of the thread is a little misleading because I'm not totally lost. I've also already started making moves in the right direction, but I'm a bit confused about a few things.

Some background: I earned my Bachelor's in History in 2011 and have been sort of living day to day since then. My GPA there was a 3.38. I recently decided to pursue PT after some first hand experience with it (slightly herniated disc in my lumbar spine). I immediately signed up for a few classes because unfortunately, I don't have any of the required pre-req courses (Bachelor of Arts). I'm in Statistic and Psychology now (both easy A's for me) and I'm going into Human Biology and Child Psychology next semester (Fall 2014). I've also started observations already and just finished three days of inpatient observations at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital here in Boston. I also work full-time at an unrelated job.

Some of my concerns: Are community college classes held in far less regard? Financially they'e a more feasible option and I'm certainly not taking them because they're easier (assuming that's even the case). Anyway, has anyone had experience with this? I'm going to be taking at least a couple classes at Harvard Extension School, but would it be advisable to take them all there even though its upwards of 3x more expensive?

What about related experience and letters of recommendation? I have no problem leaving my job that I have right now if I can get something related that will help me later. Like I said, I started observations already and they're great, but those are such short experiences that I can't really get recommendations from them.

My age is also something of a concern. I'm currently 25 and since most DPT programs I've looked at start in the summer, I won't be able to start a program until I'm 27. My pre-reqs are currently mapped out so I'm taking my last two classes the Spring of 2015. This would mean I'll be in school till I'm 30 and then with fellowships and residency that's another few years. Has anyone else started a career path like this so late in their life (relatively speaking, of course)?

That's related to another concern of what I should do to support myself while I'm in school. I know people do it every day and I'm certainly willing, but what are some good tips?

I'm looking to apply to programs in the Boston area and would really like to get into the MGH Institute of Health Professions. I'm also going to apply to Boston University and Northeastern. That said, I'm not opposed to leaving Boston if it's for a good program. I'm still not sure what concentration I would want within the field of PT so I'm not sure which school is the best fit for me now. Hopefully more observations in different settings will help me there.

Thanks for reading this if you did.

First off, congrats on beginning your journey to a profession that will make you happy!

I would say a good 75% (making up this number but should be fairly accurate) of students applying to PT schools have a least one or two CC classes. I did and none of the schools I applied to expressed any distress with them. They are still courses, just at a smaller school for a fraction of the price. I recommend you taking classes at a community college so you can save as much money as possible. It's an expensive journey, so save where you can. I don't believe most schools will look down on that at all.

Many, many students face the same issue when looking for LoR's. When you observe or volunteer your time, if you spend most of it with one PT in particular, ask him or her if they would be able to issue you a LoR and it shouldn't be a problem. Of course if you only spend a day with them, they don't know you very well and the recommendation won't be as personalized. So, spend one day a week at a clinic or hospital and ask when you feel comfortable. Most PT's are very willing and understanding, especially the younger PTs because they were recently where you are today. The best LoRs come from PTs you know well, so definitely put in an effort of getting to know local PTs and putting in hours. You need the hours anyways, so try and use them to your advantage. The worst thing they can say is "no", and I have never come across that myself. They want to help you succeed, as long as you show a true interest and dedication to the field.

Don't worry about your age. You're obviously dedicated to finishing and you've organized a plan of study so I believe you'll be fine. Although it'll be more difficult, you will still have a life in PT school. Instead of looking at the years you're in school as "void" or as if they don't count, look at them as a part of your life, not a break from it. Everyone, including myself, does this when referring to PT school. Many people think life starts AFTER school ends, but it's all life. Your life won't "begin" at 30, it'll continue with a professional degree. Also, many students don't do fellowships/residencies as they are not required. There is a running debate as to how helpful they are to each person, but you don't necessarily have to do it. And if you do participate in a residency, it's typically only a year.

GOOD LUCK!!