How do PT schools compare? A student's perspective

[deleted671726]

Hello!

I am currently a DPT student at Northwestern and I was just wondering... What are other programs like? Feel free to vent/gloat because I want to hear students' perspectives on what their programs are like.

What is your program like? (some questions to think about)

• Hours per week
• Clinical assignments
• Are you enjoying school?
• Are you satisfied with your program?
• What do you think about your curriculum? Quality, relevance of material, etc.
• What do you think about your faculty?
• Major pros / major cons / anything people might not know about your program
• Anything else on your mind!

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[deleted671726]

I can go first.

My program: Northwestern University

• Hours per week: 25-35 (6-8 hours/day) - Are these hours normal? Seems like a lot.
• Great anatomy program. Our professor is one of the best I have had and she teaches in a way that helps me to systematically understand the material.
• We have about 100 students, which I like.
• Clinicals - two 6-week clinicals and two 12-week clinicals. I like the breakdown and how it is 2 years didactic and the third year is essentially just two 12-week clinicals.
• Research-oriented: I don't know about other schools (why I made this thread) but ours seems very research-oriented. In biomechanics, we do a lot of formulas and calculations. Even in renal and respiratory physiology, we are using a lot of formulas and calculations to find things such as respiratory acidosis. I personally am not going into research, so I find it all a bit unnecessary.
• A lot of unnecessary coursework: It seems to me that the program has a certain number of hours per week they need to fill and use a lot of filler classes. We will spend 2 hours talking about our learning types, 2 hours looking at the fine print of the APTA manual, 2 hours talking about white privilege, etc. We were recently given a 3-week project to send surveys, make a paper, and teach about walking with crutches. Seems like a waste of time and my tuition money.
• It's really expensive. About $105k for the whole program.
• Living costs are high since we are right in downtown next to the lake. I live in a more affordable area, but it takes me about 45-60 minutes door to door, depending on if I can catch the bus.
• I am pretty unsatisfied with my program. I am wondering if I should have saved $50k and gone to UIC. Education is an investment and I am beginning to feel like I made a foolish investment.

 

[truthseeker]

white privilege? really? so the political correctness puppetmasters are involved in PT school curricula.

Nice.

 

[East10DPT]

Hello!

I am currently a DPT student at Northwestern and I was just wondering... What are other programs like? Feel free to vent/gloat because I want to hear students' perspectives on what their programs are like.

What is your program like? (some questions to think about)

• Hours per week
• Clinical assignments
• Are you enjoying school?
• Are you satisfied with your program?
• What do you think about your curriculum? Quality, relevance of material, etc.
• What do you think about your faculty?
• Major pros / major cons / anything people might not know about your program
• Anything else on your mind!

Good post! I only applied to one school, but I knew it was a fit based on the advice of others that went there, my numbers, location, etc., so I never really took the chance to explore further. Would be a good post for Pre-PT students to look at as well. I am sorry you are discouraged at NU, but stick it out and I am sure clinical rotations will bring back to excitement.

I go to East Tennessee State University (ETSU). Program is a January start date.

• Hours per week: 25-30, depending on the week of instruction time.
• Clinical Assignments: 3 shorter 3-5 week clinicals, 3 longer internships. Clinicals start summer of first year, then winter of 1st year.
• I am greatly enjoying school. I finally feel after all the pre-requisites I am learning my trade. Having a great class helps too. Worked ragged but loving the material.
• Very satisfied with the program. They have a great support network and are caring instructors. Do everything in their power to see you excel and succeed.
• I think the curriculum is good for what I want. The program prides itself on producing great clinicians, so didactic time is considered as preparation for future application. They always stress that grades and being a good clinician do not always equate. Not too much that I deem irrelevant, most things I feel are preparing me to be a better PT.
• Faculty are all quality instructors and willing to work with students.
• Pros: faculty looking to produce top clinicians (I want to be a clinician), $15-20k year in-state, 36 students per incoming class, really well-regarded regionally for the PTs it produces, rent in JC is fairly cheap, clearly want students to succeed and not be "weeded out"
• Cons: Not well-known outside TN/VA/KY/NC area (I may want to work in the northeast), paperwork for the program can be given last-minute
• Final word: Great option!

 

[davidtheusername]

I don't have anything to add since I don't start pt school until August, but thanks for starting this thread. Now that I'm past the point of obsessing about getting in, I'm ready to obsess about what it's actually like in school so I love threads like this.

 

[davidtheusername]

I'm always curious, and I know it will vary from person to to person, but if you're spending 25-30 hours a week in class what is normal for you to spend studying on top of that?

 

[East10DPT]

There is no hard and fast rule. Unlike undergrad, this is stuff you HAVE to know, so early and often is the rule. I often crammed in undergrad and got great grades, but then forgot everything after. Here, I am learning differently, having to recategorize concepts, draw images, teach others, etc. If I didn't understand it, it is up to me to go out of my way to learn it. If I learn something on a Monday, I want to have reviewed it at least 2-3 times by Friday and able to teach a non-PT person about it by Sunday. It also varies by class.

Generally, I would say 1 hours of class time to 1 hour of study time. For some classes (anatomy), it is more than an hour studying per class hour. Other classes are less. Like I said, if you can KNOW it in just class then you are fine (and a genius). Otherwise, take as many study hours as you can until it is known. For many, changing how you study will be a must to save time and not go crazy.

That said, I have 2 hours per day to myself for sanity to mess around, go to the gym, etc. On weekends, I am freer as I load up in the weekdays, treating like a job that goes from 8am-10 pm. Hope this gives a better idea.

 

[DesertPT]

white privilege? really? so the political correctness puppetmasters are involved in PT school curricula.

Nice.

The PC puppet masters are involved anywhere that academics can be found.

 

[a7rcana]

I'm always curious, and I know it will vary from person to to person, but if you're spending 25-30 hours a week in class what is normal for you to spend studying on top of that?

Around 2-3 hours per night. I usually come home from school around 5-5:30 make dinner and try to study from 7-9 at least and some days when we get out early we will study longer and some days we will study through our lunch hour.