Please share your knowledge...

[aLee]

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Hello, I?m new to this forum. Please share your knowledge with me. 😳 I?m still an undergraduate student and would like to study to become a physical therapist. I would like to know everyone?s personal experiences and whatever else you guys can share with me.

Some questions I have so far:

1) What undergrad school did you attend?
2) What was your major?
3) What was your cumulative G.P.A?
4) Did you volunteer? Where and for how long?
5) Clubs? Internship?
6) What other extracurricular activities did you do?

7) Which graduate school did you go to?
8) What does most graduate schools require?
9) What are the exams you have to take to go to a p.t. graduate school?

I looked at some web sites, but now I'm just overwhelmed and confused.
That?s all for now. =) Please help me out! Thanks

 

[delicatefade]

1) What undergrad school did you attend? U.S. Air Force Academy 1995-1996, Frostburg State University 1996-1998
2) What was your major? Biology
3) What was your cumulative G.P.A? 3.8
4) Did you volunteer? Where and for how long? I can't remember how many hours but I volunteered in three different settings. An acute care hospital, a nursing home, and an outpatient clinic. Each individual school will have different requirements as far as how many hours they want you to have and if they want you to have hours in multiple settings.
5) Clubs? Internship? USAFA Drum and Bugle Corps, Frostburg Jazz Ensemble
6) What other extracurricular activities did you do? That's about it. I worked.

7) Which graduate school did you go to?VCU/MCV, Richmond, Virginia
8) What does most graduate schools require?Well, most are going to require the same general prerequisite classes. It's usually two semesters biology, two semesters chemistry, two semesters physics, a math requirement (sometimes statistics as well), a psyhoology requirement. Again, each school will differ slightly so look into the schools you are interested in. They can tell you over the phone but usually their websites list the classes they require. Most require you to take the GRE.
9) What are the exams you have to take to go to a p.t. graduate school?Most require the GRE. I think one school I applied to required the AHPAT (Allied Health Professions Aptitude Test, which was quite easy). Many schools will require a Bachelor's degree nowadays When I went, you could do 3 years undergrad and take the GRE as long as you had all your prerequisite classes. That's what I did. Good luck!!!

 

[DrDrewpt]

Magenta,

Physical therapy education has changed considerably since I went to PT school, so some of your questions aren't applicable to the most experienced ranks of the profession. For example, most PT's out there are BSPT's and didn't go to graduate school. I, for example, went to one the the first so-called "straight-five" programs that offered a BS and an MSPT after five years of study right out of high school. Most of the straight-fives have converted to straight-six DPT programs that offer admit through the BS, to the DPT right out of high school

1. I went to Ithaca college
2. My major was Clinical Science/Physical Therapy
3. My undergrad cumm was 2.98, my PT grad cum was 3.5
4. I had LOTS of volunteer work. I worked for opthamolgists and orthopedic surgeons since I was 13. I had worked for PT's all through high school in various settings from hospital neuro, to pediatrics, to ortho.
5. I was very active in high school service organizations.
6. I played lacrosse, wrestled, played piano, etc., etc.
7. MSPT - Ithaca College, MBA - Century University, PhD - Century University, DPT - Mass General Institute of Health Professions at Harvard

8. What does most graduate schools require? In what way?
9. For me, only the SAT was required for PT graduate school, and because my GPA was under 3.0 but above 2.9, I had to take a comprehensive evaluation that the students at Ithaca called "the cheese test." The DPT did not required a test, but it did require a comprehensive portfolio review.

Don't be scared, check out the education section of the APTA website at www.apta.org.

Dr. Drew

 

[DG Lins]

aLee... i am in the same spot you are. Im going to be a junior in undergrad and my love is PT. So great thing to ask because it helps me out as well!

 

[DG Lins]

Dr. Drew,
i see that your undergrad GPA was right at a 3.0. did you have a hard time getting into PT school. I am right at a 3.5 right now and i have heard so many stories about people having gpa's lower than 3.5 not getting into PT school. i was wondering if you have any ieda about how the selection process works and if you dont have an impressive gpa, what do you need to have to help out a lower GPA?

 

[DrDrewpt]

Re-read my post. I was admitted for a 5.5 year program of study that awarded both a BS and MSPT --- right out of high school. There are a few programs that do this now, but not many. Ithaca is one, I believe that Springfield still has one too. There are others.

In any event, my undergrad GPA was a non-issue, provided that I kept it over 3.0 --- which I did not, but it was over 2.8 --- hence the comprehensive evaluation. Had I not passed, I would have been dismissed from the program.

Most programs require a BS and then you apply to the MSPT, MPT, or DPT program. Most high school guidance folk will tell you that you'll need a 3.5 at least, some undergrad profs will tell you that too --- but their information is dated. The truth is that with a longer course of study than even a few short years ago, it costs more to go to PT school, there is FAR less competition for slots, and about 30% more PT schools than 10 years ago.

The reasons for this are many and I'll be happy to go into it in another thread if anyone likes, but the bottom line is this ---

If you want to be a PT, there is no better time than now to go. It's MUCH easier to get in. You'll get numbers from PT's, undergrad profs, even graduate admission folk and PT professors that are over-inflated. The truth is that unless you're applying to WashU, Duke, UNC, USC, or MGH at Harvard --- the grade point average isn't as much of an issue as it used to be. The other plus is that class sizes are generally smaller than the 150 that I started with and the 76 that I graduated with. That translates into greater mentorship and individual attention.

Get your volunteer hours in, and I cannot stress this enough --- MAKE THE HOURS COUNT!!! Don't just carry towels for, and grab hot-packs for, the therapist that you're volunteering for. ASK to observe evaluations and treatments, SEEK OUT ortho, neuro, peds, women's health, and wound care settings. READ as much as you can in journals and books recommended by the PT you're working with. And above all --- if PT is your bliss --- LIVE IT.

Drew

see that your undergrad GPA was right at a 3.0. did you have a hard time getting into PT school. I am right at a 3.5 right now and i have heard so many stories about people having gpa's lower than 3.5 not getting into PT school. i was wondering if you have any ieda about how the selection process works and if you dont have an impressive gpa, what do you need to have to help out a lower GPA?

 

[delicatefade]

I totally agree with the above post. I don't mean this to sound arrogant at all but since I graduated, my school is admitting people that would have never gotten into my class. And I imagine it was even harder to get into before I applied. Chances are great that you will get in which only means good things for people wanting to go into PT!!!

 

[DrQuinn]

1) What undergrad school did you attend?
2) What was your major?
3) What was your cumulative G.P.A?
4) Did you volunteer? Where and for how long?
5) Clubs? Internship?
6) What other extracurricular activities did you do?
7) Which graduate school did you go to?
8) What does most graduate schools require?
9) What are the exams you have to take to go to a p.t. graduate school?

I'll answer for my wife who is a MSPT
University of South Dakota
3.9
She worked as a bartender and as a PCT
Dunno
Drank a lot during college
Nova Southeastern University School of PT

 

[aLee]

I'll answer for my wife who is a MSPT
University of South Dakota
3.9
She worked as a bartender and as a PCT
Dunno
Drank a lot during college
Nova Southeastern University School of PT

haha. Your post cracks me up.
Thanks for the replies!!

I have another question:
I'm going to be interning at my school's athletic training program. The Kinesiology advisor recommended the internship to me, but people have been telling me that the intern and p.t. are two different things. Should I go ahead and take the opportunity or not? I'm going to look for a clinic or hostipal to volunteer after I settle into school.