PT vs PA

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DWade4

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Hello, im about 1.5 years away from applying to a PT or a PA program and was wondering what was harder? 1. getting into the program and 2. actual school work while in the program.

any info would be nice. thanks

please redirect if there has already been a thread.

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Hello, im about 1.5 years away from applying to a PT or a PA program and was wondering what was harder? 1. getting into the program and 2. actual school work while in the program.

any info would be nice. thanks

please redirect if there has already been a thread.

I think you're asking the wrong question here. Which one is harder? Why does it matter? Go for what you want to go for. Both are tough.
 
is not that hard to get into PT school... you just need the right personality. I know of someone who got in with 4 C's in preq. classes.. and has a 3.1
 
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is not that hard to get into PT school... you just need the right personality. I know of someone who got in with 4 C's in preq. classes.. and has a 3.1


In my experience, that is very, very unusual. Average GPA is considerably higher than 3.1. I don't know anything about PA school but when I was in undergrad, then again in PT school (different schools) we were in anatomy class with the PA students and I don't recall being dazzled by any of their geniusness.

Based upon my limited experience with two separate PA classes from two different schools (University of Iowa in 1986 and Des Moines University in 1989) I would say that the stronger academic group was the PT class.

my two cents
 
Hello, im about 1.5 years away from applying to a PT or a PA program and was wondering what was harder? 1. getting into the program and 2. actual school work while in the program.

any info would be nice. thanks

please redirect if there has already been a thread.


I think you are comparing apples to oranges honestly..as for pt school being easier to get into..well im not so sure about that i guess it depends on who you are asking..my friend applied with a 3.6 overall and 3.7 pre-req and 1200 gre and did not get into the same program as me with a much lower gre and a 3.4 gpa..so yes it is more individualized if you do not fit the personality and leadership skills they see necessary then you have less of a chance regardless of your stats. But pt is one of the fastest growing careers right now. Over 400 applicants applied to my school and only 55 were accepted it is defeinetely competitive no question about it!
As well as i would anticipate that PA school would be the same.
So i think you should decide if you wann to treat the average cold and general ailments everyday or help rehabilitate individuals after specific injuries!
I would think both are rewarding pt is definetely more specialized and more indepth with the anatomy of the body but PA school is much more generalized and a lot of detail!
good luck with that!
 
This is an interesting topic and is near and dear to me. On June1st, I am starting the PT program, and my girlfriend of 5 years is starting the PA program, both at the University of Colorado.

She is looking for more of the "doctor" feel to her dealing with patients. She likes the 3 year program compared to 4 years med school, residency, etc. as would come with getting an MD. She will be specializing in Pediatrics.

I, on the other hand, am much more interested in body movements, especially sports-related, and the rehabilitation aspect.

We should make a great 1-2 punch once we have kids! :laugh:
 
In my experience, that is very, very unusual. Average GPA is considerably higher than 3.1. I don't know anything about PA school but when I was in undergrad, then again in PT school (different schools) we were in anatomy class with the PA students and I don't recall being dazzled by any of their geniusness.

Based upon my limited experience with two separate PA classes from two different schools (University of Iowa in 1986 and Des Moines University in 1989) I would say that the stronger academic group was the PT class.

my two cents


i know... i got into the same school as him and the chair said that the ave. gpa of the entering class this year was 3.4. Kind of unfair for the people who worked hard enough to get a 3.4 gpa. I mean, if theyre letting in people with 4 C's in prereq. and 3.1 gpas.... then i could have slacked off and had more fun during my undergrad and still had a chance of getting into pt school.
 
i know... i got into the same school as him and the chair said that the ave. gpa of the entering class this year was 3.4. Kind of unfair for the people who worked hard enough to get a 3.4 gpa. I mean, if theyre letting in people with 4 C's in prereq. and 3.1 gpas.... then i could have slacked off and had more fun during my undergrad and still had a chance of getting into pt school.

:thumbdown: So you're saying those with lower GPA's slacked off and had more fun? While that may apply to some, it certainly does not apply to all. Horrible use of words there.
 
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I think you're asking the wrong question here. Which one is harder? Why does it matter? Go for what you want to go for. Both are tough.

:thumbup: Well said. The OP should pursue whichever they're interested in not which one is the easier.
 
i know... i got into the same school as him and the chair said that the ave. gpa of the entering class this year was 3.4. Kind of unfair for the people who worked hard enough to get a 3.4 gpa. I mean, if theyre letting in people with 4 C's in prereq. and 3.1 gpas.... then i could have slacked off and had more fun during my undergrad and still had a chance of getting into pt school.

That is incredibly ignorant. I'm not trying to pile on, but everyone's application is unique, and everyone selects a school that fits their background and future goals. Would it be "unfair" for someone to be accepted who has no work experience in PT compared to someone who does? I doubt you would make that argument.
It's unrealistic to expect a completely homogenous body of applicants. Everyone in any DPT class is going to bring different assets into play. Maybe someone worked incredibly hard to get a 3.1. The goal in life should not be to see how much you can slack off and still just squeak by, as you seem to infer.
 
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1. Both programs will be hard to get into. With PT maybe a little easier because it has gone digital recently, but with PTCAS and CASPA both will be competitive and have a large applicant pool. This will also depend heavily on your specific stats and the schools you wish to apply to.

2. Both programs will be challenging and again this question is very subjective and will depend on many factors. I have no information regarding your previous stats and the level of difficulty in grad school will vary for each individual.
 
I think you're asking the wrong question here. Which one is harder? Why does it matter? Go for what you want to go for. Both are tough.

Im afraid of entering PA school and flunking out. According to some, PA school is a lot harder. I rather go to PT school and graduate then go to PA school and flunk out.

I love both professions but i prefer PA slightly over PT. So entering ANY program will satisfy my career. But more importantly, I want to enter a school I know I can graduate. If I was a genius, then I wouldn't worry about what school I would graduate from.
 
is not that hard to get into PT school... you just need the right personality. I know of someone who got in with 4 C's in preq. classes.. and has a 3.1


I disagree with you, I think PT is one of the most competitive professions one can choose today. I do not think that your single example is very representative of how challenging it is to get into PT school. I have 3.2 cumulative and 3.5 pre-req GPA and I have not been accepted to any of the schools I applied to yet. What school did your friend get into?
 
I understand where you are coming from; however, you can't go into a program thinking you may flunk out. As it looks like you are leaning towards PA, then go for it. If you get in, study hard and do what you have to do to pass.

Getting through either PT or PA will depend on the person (study habits, type of personality, and how much work you're willing to put in). Thus it is hard for anyone to answer your question as it will ultimately depend on you!

Neither one is "easier"....


Good luck
 
I understand where you are coming from; however, you can't go into a program thinking you may flunk out. As it looks like you are leaning towards PA, then go for it. If you get in, study hard and do what you have to do to pass.

Getting through either PT or PA will depend on the person (study habits, type of personality, and how much work you're willing to put in). Thus it is hard for anyone to answer your question as it will ultimately depend on you!

Neither one is "easier"....


Good luck

Thanks, the encouragement is always enlightening.
 
Apply to the program you want to do. Since you prefer PA slightly over PT, go for PA. Once you get accepted into a program, you're in. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It's then your responsibility to do the work necessary. If PA is what you really want to do, you won't fail out.
 
Hello, im about 1.5 years away from applying to a PT or a PA program and was wondering what was harder? 1. getting into the program and 2. actual school work while in the program.

any info would be nice. thanks

please redirect if there has already been a thread.
2009? Are you a PT now??
 
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