Path to becoming a Physical Therapist?

[an aspiring doctor]

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With aspirations of helping those in need I have decided that I would like to become a physical therapist in New York. For those with experience I would like to know if there are online degree programs for becoming a physical therapist? With a heavy schedule I would like to embark on this adventure utilizing my time efficiently. With that being said I would prefer a one or two year program if anyone knows of any. Thank you for your help.

 

[markelmarcel]

This would be much better answered in the Pre-PT forum, however, I will answer anyway. Long story short, there are no online programs for obtaining your DPT. I believe there is a program that is weekends only, but most programs are 2.5 years - 3 years long. I suggest you browse some of the posts in the Pre-PT forum to better educate yourself on the pathway needed to pursue a DPT.

 

[an aspiring doctor]

I am going to move it thank you for your help. I have been reading up on it and I discovered that there are two routes. One route is obtaining a masters degree program. Are there any in New York or in the north eastern region that you are aware of?

 

[markelmarcel]

I am going to move it thank you for your help. I have been reading up on it and I discovered that there are two routes. One route is obtaining a masters degree program. Are there any in New York or in the north eastern region that you are aware of?

Most programs have done away with the MPT in turn of DPT. I'm not even sure if there are still any masters programs left...

 

[an aspiring doctor]

If I became a physical therapist assistant first would it be easier to transition to a physical therapist?

 

[goyo1010]

There are no full-time online programs for a DPT. There is the "Flex" program from University of St. Augustine; however, this program still requires in-person lab times on weekends and is about 4 years long because of how the curriculum is set up (in contrast to the ~3 yrs for a traditional DPT program).

There are no longer any Masters programs for physical therapy. The last programs to offer the MPT or MSPT were in California and those degrees have been phased out for the DPT degree (as of 2014) as part of APTA's vision for the profession.

If you were to become a PTA first, there is no guarantee the transition to becoming a PT will be easier. You will still have to go through the DPT curriculum, which is considerably different and more in-depth than the PTA education. Although you may have a head start in some areas (e.g., ther ex, mobilizations, basic anatomy, professionalism, etc), this may be nullified with the detail of the foundational sciences and clinical science classes in PT school.

 

[easb]

If I became a physical therapist assistant first would it be easier to transition to a physical therapist?

Not at all. You would still have to apply to the same DPT programs after becoming a PT Assistant. So you would end up spending a couple of years becoming a PT Assistant and then about 3 more years becoming a PT.

 

[DesertPT]

To the OP, I think you should have a least a rough idea of what PT education and the PT profession is like before you post in the forum. The questions you are asking indicate that you haven't even performed a simple google search on the subject. Reading for yourself on the internet would be a lot more effective than waiting for people on the forum to answer questions for you that you could easily answer in 5 minutes by yourself.