Need Advice,

[TheLongRoad87]

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Ok so hear's my deal...im still on the fence on whether to pursue MD/DO/DPT, I have some time to finalize a decision but if I decide to pursue DPT what would I need to change on my current course pathway? Im a med tech and have done extensive work with MD's/DO's and am aware of the scope of DPT's practice but thats about where my knowledge ends.

Im a 23 yr old air force active duty member moving to Colorado Springs next month where I will be until Feb 2013, I will be transferring my Park U credits to Pikes Peak CC and finishing 60 creds by the time I leave in 2013 with mostly face to face coursework, at which point im either going reserve or getting out completely. I'll be looking to transfer my 60 into a BS program at a school on the east coast(id like to go Univ. SC,or Syracuse my hometown) to complete it in 2 yrs or so. If I get to this point and graduate with a BS in Psych,all pre-reqs completed to get into a DPT program, volutneer work etc, what can I expect? How is it different, for instance, MD/DO you would be taking MCAT trying to get in at this point.


Ive already heavily looked into MD/DO programs and im curious to see how this path could differ and what I need to prepare for if I decide on it.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[shellabie]

First off, thank you for serving our country. 👍 I'm a former 4NO myself (although it's been many, many moons since I put on a uniform).

I'm not entirely familiar with the intricate details of applying to med school (although I do spy on the MD/DO forums only b/c it makes me feel a bit better about the PT process), but I know that there are similarities in the application process.

* Apply early. I think the folks on the MD/DO boards tend to apply even earlier than folks here on the PT boards. For PT, consider applying mid-late summer an entire year before you would like to matriculate.

* Put in clinical shadowing time... this goes for both. You'll need to have your hours verified by a PT for PT school. I don't know if med schools require 'official' shadow time, but I know that the folks on the MD/OD boards mention shadowing often. The "required" hours are not interchangeable. In other words, you can't use MD verified hours to meet the requirements for your PT app. You can obviously talk about your extensive medical service in the employment history section & personal essay.

* Med schools require the MCAT; PT schools require the GRE. You should take the GRE before you apply for PT school admission, just as you would take the MCAT before applying to a MD/DO program.

* Course requirements are similar, but not exactly the same. Med schools will require OChem; many PT schools do not. Just about all PT schools require a full year's worth of A&P; most med schools do not. Calculus is usually the standard math for med school apps, but PT schools allow a lower-level math course or statistics.

Good luck to you!