Other NonTrad PT-hopefuls?

[clos]

I'm planning on getting a letter or two from my current professors, because I had to go back and take the pre-reqs. So I'm kind of lucky when it comes to that requirement.

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[kp300]

Glad i found this thread, Im 33 years old now and probably won't start PT school until Im 34. Been doing prereq's since last year, taking one class at time starting with BIO I.

Graduated with a sociology degree ten years ago, floated around and worked as a paralegal for a couple of years...blah. got into local law schools but I declined. Starting working as an aide 6 months ago in the chicago area, working full time only allows me to take one class. Still have to take the GRE. Any advice???

Couple of the PTs I work with were career changers themselves, one was a high school biology teacher and another a geologist. But I am fortunate to have landed at a very supportive environment, tution reimbursement, and all the anatomy study aides and tutors I can ask for.

I'm curious what type of aide job you have. I have experience as a math teacher, but I'm interested in PT. I was wondering if there's a job I can get while taking care of pre-reqs that's related to PT without having any medical licensing. Do you receive tuition reimbursement from your job as an aide?

 

[jblil]

Any update from the non-trad group? I hope you all got into your first-choice school.

 

[somehowmadeit]

I'm 33, and got into my top three - It's possible, but I worked my butt off for it!

 

[RevGood]

Very new to all of this. I have always had an interest in medicine. A few years ago I kicked around the idea of becoming an MD or DO. I let that idea go pretty quickly. Recently I've been exploring physical therapy. I like what I see. The scope of the work appeals to me. It is something I would like to pursue. It would be a second career transition. My background is in Pastoral ministry.

I have lots of questions, but the one that keeps me from moving forward is the "how am I going to go to school full-time and provide for my family?" I would love to hear what some of you are doing, or at least how you are navigating your education and still surviving financially.

 

[lo6]

great thread!! I am 27 and just about to apply this summer-- after one year of working full-time, coaching part-time, going to school part-time for pre-reqs-- I'M READY!!

how have you non-trads approached observation hours-- that is something I am currently struggling with-- I work a 4 day work week so that helps but I am definitely not going to have 400+ hrs of observation like some people

 

[okramango]

Any update from the non-trad group? I hope you all got into your first-choice school.

Thanks jblil. I got into all three schools I applied to! All the hard work over the last two years is now paying off I'll be starting at Texas Woman's University this August!

"how am I going to go to school full-time and provide for my family?" I would love to hear what some of you are doing, or at least how you are navigating your education and still surviving financially.

That's a good question, and one I think each of us handles differently depending on our own situations. I'm really lucky that my husband was willing and able to support us while I went back to school to take my prerequisites. We live very frugally, and once I start PT school, we'll have to take out some student loans, but I also made a point to apply to and attend the lowest cost programs that I could find.

how have you non-trads approached observation hours-- that is something I am currently struggling with-- I work a 4 day work week so that helps but I am definitely not going to have 400+ hrs of observation like some people

I went around once or twice a week for 3-4 hour shifts, and it took me about a year and a half to get around 200 observation hours. I did this while I was in school full-time and working part-time, so it kept me pretty busy. It's possible, you just have to do it! It can also take some time to find a clinic that will let you observe, especially inpatient settings, so you really should get started soon if you are applying for this next cycle.

Good luck!

 

[nomattic]

Any update from the non-trad group? I hope you all got into your first-choice school.

27 here and got into my top 3! With some hard work it's definitely possible. After checking out my class of 2016 facebook page, it's looking like a solid 1/3rd of my class is non-trad, too (average age 26-27 over the last two years). Excited to start this journey, good luck to all the future non-trads!

 

[jblil]

I see that lots of folks have been accepted to the school of their choice, congrats! I am almost done with my first year... It has been quite a ride, and so am thinking of starting a thread about "things I wished I knew/had done differently" for non-trads... Many of us have responsibilities and concerns that are slightly different than those of a 22-yr old going straight from undergrad to PT school. Do you think it'd be useful?

 

[Oregon48]

I see that lots of folks have been accepted to the school of their choice, congrats! I am almost done with my first year... It has been quite a ride, and so am thinking of starting a thread about "things I wished I knew/had done differently" for non-trads... Many of us have responsibilities and concerns that are slightly different than those of a 22-yr old going straight from undergrad to PT school. Do you think it'd be useful?

Yes! Absolutely!

 

[nomattic]

I see that lots of folks have been accepted to the school of their choice, congrats! I am almost done with my first year... It has been quite a ride, and so am thinking of starting a thread about "things I wished I knew/had done differently" for non-trads... Many of us have responsibilities and concerns that are slightly different than those of a 22-yr old going straight from undergrad to PT school. Do you think it'd be useful?

Absolutely. Not to mention the fact that showing adcoms your ability to handle those responsibilities and concerns while tackling academia strengthen your application exponentially. Some advice on how to present that in your application would be priceless for non-trads, in my opinion.

 

[DPTHopeful2012]

I see that lots of folks have been accepted to the school of their choice, congrats! I am almost done with my first year... It has been quite a ride, and so am thinking of starting a thread about "things I wished I knew/had done differently" for non-trads... Many of us have responsibilities and concerns that are slightly different than those of a 22-yr old going straight from undergrad to PT school. Do you think it'd be useful?

Definitely! I got into one of my top choices also and the tips I've read on this forum have been so helpful. To hear your perspective as a 1st year student would be very helpful also.

 

[DPTafter30]

I see that lots of folks have been accepted to the school of their choice, congrats! I am almost done with my first year... It has been quite a ride, and so am thinking of starting a thread about "things I wished I knew/had done differently" for non-trads... Many of us have responsibilities and concerns that are slightly different than those of a 22-yr old going straight from undergrad to PT school. Do you think it'd be useful?

This would be very helpful! GREAT IDEA!

 

[jblil]

This would be very helpful! GREAT IDEA!

FYI, I started such a thread for non-trads:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=990967

 

[captainterrific]

great thread y'all. i wish i'd joined, found the thread, and participated sooner.

I'm 37, and have been doing pre-requisites & observations for the past 2 years. I applied to schools this cycle, and got accepted to 3 out of 12. I just wanted to echo the things that other people have posted in this thread. Like other posters, I have multiple previous degrees and careers, and have worked like a maniac to prepare for my DPT apps: 35+ hours/week at multiple jobs, 10-15 hours/week of observation, and full time school for pre-req's. I have no kids, and a wife who makes things much easier for me. It seems that the main theme running through all of these non-trad posts is that we have to work hard to quickly complete all of the coursework and observations that are required of any student, and then a bit harder to reorient ourselves (and our families) to the student lifestyle. In my case this has only been possible because the older I get the harder I rock - and I suspect that a few of you are the same.

I'm currently on spring break, and it is the first time since the fall of 2010 that I have allowed myself to completely slow down. It's remarkable, I didn't realize how hard I was pushing myself until I sent in my acceptance letter, which was a very profound sense of relief and accomplishment. Now I'm really looking forward to the end of this semester, some time off while I move to Phoenix (to attend NAU), and a chance to begin the real work in earnest.

 

[okramango]

great thread y'all. i wish i'd joined, found the thread, and participated sooner.

I'm 37, and have been doing pre-requisites & observations for the past 2 years. I applied to schools this cycle, and got accepted to 3 out of 12. I just wanted to echo the things that other people have posted in this thread. Like other posters, I have multiple previous degrees and careers, and have worked like a maniac to prepare for my DPT apps: 35+ hours/week at multiple jobs, 10-15 hours/week of observation, and full time school for pre-req's. I have no kids, and a wife who makes things much easier for me. It seems that the main theme running through all of these non-trad posts is that we have to work hard to quickly complete all of the coursework and observations that are required of any student, and then a bit harder to reorient ourselves (and our families) to the student lifestyle. In my case this has only been possible because the older I get the harder I rock - and I suspect that a few of you are the same.

I'm currently on spring break, and it is the first time since the fall of 2010 that I have allowed myself to completely slow down. It's remarkable, I didn't realize how hard I was pushing myself until I sent in my acceptance letter, which was a very profound sense of relief and accomplishment. Now I'm really looking forward to the end of this semester, some time off while I move to Phoenix (to attend NAU), and a chance to begin the real work in earnest.

Congrats on your accomplishment! I saw in the GPA thread that you went to Humboldt. I did part of my undergrad there, too, and since we're the same age, we might have been there around the same time! I was also accepted to NAU, but decided to attend elsewhere. All this hard work is paying off now. Good luck!

 

[captainterrific]

congrats to you also, okramango. as a lurker, i found your story quite interesting & was rooting for you. have a lot of fun at TWU! (And that's funny about humboldt - such a small town, we must've bumped into one another at least once)

The day after I got accepted to NAU, I taught an A&P lab. I was full of joy and thought my good news could serve as a motivator for my class, which is composed almost entirely of pre-health profession students. So I showed them the campus & the facilties and then said something like,

"You might wonder why I'm talking about this....but no, it's not to brag (*joke). I just wanted you to know that the benefits of hard work are real. Sometimes we work and don't see any benefit, and can eventually come to doubt that the work will ever pay off...that those benefits we seek are as imaginary as Santa Claus. But yesterday was one of the best days of my life - so I want you all to work hard & then work harder, because Santa Claus is real."

They laughed (and clapped, actually), but I know the serious part of the message got through.

 

[anneet]

I know this old but, how was the transition from teaching to pt? I'm currently and pe major right now and going to finish this degree in may 2015. Did you have to take all the prerequisites over?