Letters of Rec, PTA?

[CHEWYBAR101]

Hi there, I've been stuck in a predicament where many of the places I've been volunteering for my observation hours are only with PTAs. I love the PTAs I work with and there's nothing wrong with them, but I've noticed I never get to interact directly with a PT. There's even one place I volunteer at where the senior home outsources a PTA from another company to come in so I know for sure the only interaction I'd be getting is from her.

The problem is, I'm aware that during application cycle, many schools require at least one if not more letters of recommendations from licensed physical therapists. Has anyone else been in this predicament or knows if a PTA can write the letter of recommendation and have a PT co-sign? I know many schools do not accept an evaluation coming from a PTA (based off what I saw on PTCAS). I'm on my fourth and fifth different location volunteering and I'm running out of options in my area on where to go from here.

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[nd_dpt]

If PTCAS says a school doesn't accept a letter from a PTA, than they don't accept it. Period. You can't have a PT "co-sign" because they didn't work with you and they can't attest to your knowledge and skills. You need to find a licensed PT to observe. Not to be rude but you should have known this was coming and made more of an effort to find PTs to shadow instead of PTAs since you knew schools usually don't want letters from PTAs. You put yourself in this situation, so you need to pull yourself out of it.

 

[Cheezy89]

When do you plan to apply? If your not applying this cycle I think your best bet is to get a job or an internship at a local clinic where you will be working long enough to have a relationship with the PTs. I know sometimes it's not clear as to whether or not you will be shadowing under a PT but after the second location, you should have been more wary. Nonetheless you have to move forward. The last thing you need for your application is a generic letter of recommendation, especially from a PT. I know it's hard to read this but you have to start over and be more strategical about the location you pick. If you need to chat more reach at Bergomy Jeannis - Guide to PT, I respond faster on this platform.

 

[CHEWYBAR101]

When do you plan to apply? If your not applying this cycle I think your best bet is to get a job or an internship at a local clinic where you will be working long enough to have a relationship with the PTs. I know sometimes it's not clear as to whether or not you will be shadowing under a PT but after the second location, you should have been more wary. Nonetheless you have to move forward. The last thing you need for your application is a generic letter of recommendation, especially from a PT. I know it's hard to read this but you have to start over and be more strategical about the location you pick. If you need to chat more reach at Bergomy Jeannis - Guide to PT, I respond faster on this platform.

Thanks for the advice and response Cheezy89

 

[preptkittty123]

Make sure the next place you volunteer at that before you even start shadowing that they know you need to have the hours verified by a licensed PT. I always let places know ahead of time that I would need the hours verified and asked if they had physical therapists in their staff if it wasn't clear on their website. Even if you don't need the hours verified I would put it this way instead of saying you will need a letter of recommendation since you won't have met the PT yet. It was hard for me to find places to get observation hours bc I didn't have connections and a lot of places in the area would say they were full. Just call different places every single day and call them back if you only get to voicemail. I reached out to about 30 places each time I finally got a hit and it took a few weeks to google and find places I hadn't called yet.

If there are already PT's where you are located, you can always ask one questions about something and then ask them if they will allow you to shadow them specifically so that they can verify your hours. You can even tell them that you didn't realize that you would need your hours verified but now that you know that you would prefer to shadow one PT specifically. That way you will get closer to a PT and won't be embarrassed to ask them for a recommendation.

 

[CHEWYBAR101]

Make sure the next place you volunteer at that before you even start shadowing that they know you need to have the hours verified by a licensed PT. I always let places know ahead of time that I would need the hours verified and asked if they had physical therapists in their staff if it wasn't clear on their website. Even if you don't need the hours verified I would put it this way instead of saying you will need a letter of recommendation since you won't have met the PT yet. It was hard for me to find places to get observation hours bc I didn't have connections and a lot of places in the area would say they were full. Just call different places every single day and call them back if you only get to voicemail. I reached out to about 30 places each time I finally got a hit and it took a few weeks to google and find places I hadn't called yet.

If there are already PT's where you are located, you can always ask one questions about something and then ask them if they will allow you to shadow them specifically so that they can verify your hours. You can even tell them that you didn't realize that you would need your hours verified but now that you know that you would prefer to shadow one PT specifically. That way you will get closer to a PT and won't be embarrassed to ask them for a recommendation.

Thank you preptkittty123! I'll definitely try communicating the way you recommended. It definitely sounds better than 'I need a letter of recommendation'. I appreciate all the help and advice

 

[CHEWYBAR101]

I have an additional question if anyone is still around and available to answer. Would a letter of recommendation from tDPT still qualify the same as from a DPT?

 

[nd_dpt]

I have an additional question if anyone is still around and available to answer. Would a letter of recommendation from tDPT still qualify the same as from a DPT?

As long as it is a licensed PT, it doesn't matter what kind of degree they received.