Observation Hours

[luchthept]

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Right now I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to submit your application while you're still in the process of getting observation hours. The school I am applying to has a requirement of at least 25 in 2 different settings. But obviously to make myself competitive, I need more.

Prior to this summer, I worked as a PT aide and got about 100 hours outpatient, but the lady I worked under is being super unresponsive to verifying my hours on PTCAS (I am trying to apply early decision btw). The whole month of June I was focused on taking the GRE, and this month (July), I've been focusing on racking up observation hours, potentially having to get more than I anticipated to give myself cushion for the 100 hours I previously got that have yet to be verified. By the end of this week, I would've earned around 50 hours in a SNF setting and 20 in a sub-acute. Should I do the bare minimum before it becomes time to submit my application and then continue to gain more after August 15th? Would they evaluate my application any differently?

 

[ya1]

You do not need to be overboard with observation hours to be competitive. 50h + 20h is quite a but more than min requirement of 25h. (Or do 5 more hours in sub-acute if the school wants you to do 25h in each setting vs total.) I do not think you need to do more than you have completed.

 

[Louisiana2018]

Make sure you have the minimum they want. And then at interviews, I made it a point to tell them I did more hours in the time since. I went from 90 hours at application (needed 60) to over 700 hours by interview.

 

[reesetee]

If you haven't already, reach out again about getting those hours verified and if there's no response in a reasonable amount of time then add them to your application and select that they're not going to be verified. You can still add the PT email and phone number also.