Hi All,
As this new application cycle approaches there are many questions arising. Everyone is looking at schools, taking the GRE, applying, and well stressing. I can help. Feel free to contact me with any questions via:
email :
[email protected]
My Tumblr Blog: dptknow.tumblr.com
SDN: feel free to message me.
I would like to help, in any way I can. A question you have another person most likely has the same question. You will also be helping me by letting know what questions are out there and what blog posts I can write to help you. I'm super committed to helping in anyway that I can. Sorry for creating a thread about this-just wanted to notify everyone that my blog has some great info listed ( and so do so many other amazing blogs!), and that I am here as a resource to you.
I will also be linking other awesome PT blogs in a post on my site to help you!
I have some questions! (Some = a lot)
I'm not applying this cycle but I will be applying next cycle.
What is the time line for applications? I know that the applications open on July 1st and that it's best to get everything early. But I'm SO confused about the hours verification and the letters. I'm planning on going abroad during that Spring so I would like to do as much as possible beforehand. Can I get the hours verification form filled out in February in preparation for June? From my understanding the PT's you select as your LORs get contacted by the PTCAS and then they electronically submit their letter. Do I even need to go near a form?
If, for example, I was leaving in February and coming back to the U.S. at the end of July, would I feasibly be able to submit my application July 1st? (I will have internet access April-July). I was planning on contacting my LOR people in January and letting them know my plans. I then would probably contact them again as the application grew nearer. But is that all I need to do? Let them know and then enter their information into the PTCAS application on July 1st?
For the electronic verification all I need to do is enter the shadowing experience and the PT's contact info and then allow PTCAS to contact them?
If I am understanding this correctly I will easily be able to submit my application while abroad.
ALSO, I am really worried about my observation hours. I have a decent GPA (3.7+ from Cornell) and while I haven't taken the GRE's yet I am sure I will do okay on them. However I only decided to do PT over medical school this past year. Right now I feel so behind my peers in gathering observation hours. Right now I have 50 definite hours in two settings, (more like 70 but the third place is very loosely organized and it makes me nervous to count on them). However from what I've seen on this site almost everyone has hundreds of hours. I keep hearing "diversity is more important than quantity" but is it really? Right now I have a general ortho place, a sports/ ortho place, and a rehab/ extended care place. Is this a good start? How many other specialties should I realistically aim for?
Finally, I feel weird having 20-30ish hours at places and then asking for a LOR. Is it commonly understood in the field that this is typical? Or should I be honing in on one place in particular?
Finally, I pseudo shadowed with this one lady who is in the know with the admissions committee at Columbia. She saw that I had been pre-med in undergrad and said that when schools see that I have taken the MCAT they aren't happy. How true is this? That seems ridiculous to me and I'm not sure how true it even is. Don't you have to send schools your MCAT scores for them to see them? Or can PT schools see all standardized graduate school testing a person has taken?
Sorry this is so panic-y. I just spent 4 hours trying to find new places to shadow in my area and got nowhere. I need a nap.
