Newly Pre-Physical Therapy Student Any Advice is greatly appreciated

[MJN55]

Hey guys,

I just discovered this forum so I figured I'd give it try. I am currently a freshman soon to be sophomore, whose majoring in Kinesiology in hopes to move on to graduate school and become and PT. I have little experience with the field or what actually a physical therapist does. I chose this major because health science interests me and I really enjoy helping people. This sounds cliche but helping other people is what makes me happy. So the fall semester of 2013 is finally coming to an end and this is my second time taking A&P 1. I'm really struggling with learning how to memorize all of the material of the physiology portion of the class. Anatomy labs and practicals I do well in however, lecture which consists of physiology does not go well with me. I spend hours upon hours studying and I just don't retain the information when it comes to taking the test. Is it really dentrimental to DPT school to have physiology aced? I have no idea what else to do. I don't want this one class that is giving me a problem to make me give up on something I feel like I would be good at. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

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[666666]

Hey MJN55! Welcome to the forum

It will be important that you are somewhat good at A&P because much of the rest of your degree and then DPT will build on that foundation. However, just because you aren't doing well in this one class doesn't necessarily mean you are poor at the subject in general. It could be that your teacher doesn't teach in a style that is conducive to your learning style or it might just be that you haven't yet mastered a way to study that particular subject yet. Either way I would start working on finding way to teach yourself the material in a way that makes sense to you. In undergrad youtube and Google are/have been (I am a senior applying for DPT programs right now) my best friend. I always remind myself that there is a lot of incorrect info on the internet, however I have been able to find some really helpful sites/videos. For example, khan academy on youtube is really great for helping with physiology . Also, I would try to get some observation hours (with a licensed PT) under your belt to make sure that PT is really your passion. If you do decide to go the PT route, you will need those hours for you applications anyways, and if you realize its not for you, you have the time now to pick something else more your style.

Good luck and if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask!

-K

 

[Co Luu]

I would say it is detrimental to your chances of getting into DPT school if you cannot pass your Anatomy & Physiology classes, since those are the foundational classes to what you will be learning in DPT school. If there is a prerequisite that they really want you to do well in, it would have to be Anatomy and Physiology.
You are already putting "hours upon hours" into your studies, so I do not know what else to tell you... besides going to office hours and asking the professor to clarify hard concepts!

 

[MJN55]

Hey MJN55! Welcome to the forum

It will be important that you are somewhat good at A&P because much of the rest of your degree and then DPT will build on that foundation. However, just because you aren't doing well in this one class doesn't necessarily mean you are poor at the subject in general. It could be that your teacher doesn't teach in a style that is conducive to your learning style or it might just be that you haven't yet mastered a way to study that particular subject yet. Either way I would start working on finding way to teach yourself the material in a way that makes sense to you. In undergrad youtube and Google are/have been (I am a senior applying for DPT programs right now) my best friend. I always remind myself that there is a lot of incorrect info on the internet, however I have been able to find some really helpful sites/videos. For example, khan academy on youtube is really great for helping with physiology . Also, I would try to get some observation hours (with a licensed PT) under your belt to make sure that PT is really your passion. If you do decide to go the PT route, you will need those hours for you applications anyways, and if you realize its not for you, you have the time now to pick something else more your style.

Good luck and if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask!

-K

thank you so much! that was very insightful and helpful! I am actually watching a video as we speak about the ear and the way they explain it is literally how my notes go in order. This is awesome. I wish I found this earlier in the semester!

 

[1027453812]

Hey guys,

I just discovered this forum so I figured I'd give it try. I am currently a freshman soon to be sophomore, whose majoring in Kinesiology in hopes to move on to graduate school and become and PT. I have little experience with the field or what actually a physical therapist does. I chose this major because health science interests me and I really enjoy helping people. This sounds cliche but helping other people is what makes me happy. So the fall semester of 2013 is finally coming to an end and this is my second time taking A&P 1. I'm really struggling with learning how to memorize all of the material of the physiology portion of the class. Anatomy labs and practicals I do well in however, lecture which consists of physiology does not go well with me. I spend hours upon hours studying and I just don't retain the information when it comes to taking the test. Is it really dentrimental to DPT school to have physiology aced? I have no idea what else to do. I don't want this one class that is giving me a problem to make me give up on something I feel like I would be good at. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

@mjn -

I do not think it is 'detrimental' per say to have a poor grade in anatomy/physiology in your PT applications, however, physical therapists do have a very strong grasp on anatomy when it comes to understanding human movement. If it is your second time taking A&P 1 and you are spending countless hours studying and still encountering difficulty with the course I would evaluate your current student habits for this particular course. One thing you can do is to seek advice from students who you know are doing fairly well in that class. Ask them on how they approach the course and methods of which they have used to help them score better on exams and quizzes. There is no harm in asking other students of their study habits. Essentially all college students (that are motivated) are willing to succeed and are also great teammates to help others succeed. You should try to establish what your issues are. Is it with your notes because you are experiencing difficulty note-taking during lectures? Could it be that your mind is not prepared when you actually sit in that lecture because it may be a bit too early in the day for you? I mean, there is a multitude of things that need to be considered but I would evaluate those now before it becomes too late.

I think physiology is much more based on processes. Instead of memorizing how the body works, I would approach it on understanding 'why' and 'how' these things work. Remember that the human body will do anything in its power to return to homeostasis, so really look at how each process (i.e inflammation) is a response to the body's deviation away from homeostatic equilibrium.

In addition, if you want to further ensure your choice to pursue PT, I would advise doing observation hours as early as possible, whether that be paid or volunteer. But always know what you can handle. Sometimes putting too much on your plate can be overwhelming. Continue the hard work and I wish you luck.

 

[Ian M]

+1 on Khan Academy. I was in over my head the first week of A&P because I had never taken chemistry. A day of self studying and watching Khan Academy later all the material made sense. I ended going from about to drop the class to getting an A-.