SDSU DPT Fall 2018

[kgt]

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I'm currently in my final semester at CSU Channel Islands and will be graduating with a BA in Psychology this Spring of 2016. Eventually, I would like to apply to San Diego State's DPT program. Until then, I've yet to complete three prerequisite courses (former biology/kinesiology major), obtain observation hours, and take the GRE. I'll be able to apply to the program by Fall of 2017.

In the free year from the application process to the start of the program, would obtaining an AS in PTA be a good idea?

 

[DPT5ME]

I'm currently in my final semester at CSU Channel Islands and will be graduating with a BA in Psychology this Spring of 2016. Eventually, I would like to apply to San Diego State's DPT program. Until then, I've yet to complete three prerequisite courses (former biology/kinesiology major), obtain observation hours, and take the GRE. I'll be able to apply to the program by Fall of 2017.

In the free year from the application process to the start of the program, would obtaining an AS in PTA be a good idea?

Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. Many PTA programs are severely impacted at the moment. I can't speak for the ones near CSU channel islands, but the ones in San Diego have waiting lists that can be 2+ years long. They use a lottery system to let people into the course so it's a crapshoot who gets accepted and who doesn't.

Although I would assume that since you'll have the majority of your pre reqs done for pt school, you'd have to check to make sure that they'd qualify to any PTA program you apply to. Usually a PTA program is 2 years long, so with the timeline you have right now you wouldn't be done with PTA school by the time you'd be starting PTA school.

Additionally, many PT schools don't suggest seeking out a PTA degree if you haven't gotten one already. Many of the programs I've looked at say that the education doesn't overlap with their program, and if you think about what a PTA does in comparison to what a PT does, they're right.

My advise would be to try to find a physical therapy aide position if possible and get as many hours under your belt, paid or volunteer as possible before you apply in 2 or more settings (oupatient, pediatric, acute, etc). Experience counts for a lot in applications, and if you have a lot of hours that shows a high level of commitment to what you're pursuing. Not to mention that some schools want you to have a certain number of hours in different settings.