Switch from Engineering to Physical Therapy

[Gryffindor3322]

I am a recent May 2012 graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, completing my bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering, and interested in pursuing a career in Physical Therapy.

At a meeting last week an employee brought up the question, "What would you do for a living if money wasn't an issue?" Being an athlete, I have dealt with injuries my whole life and just through experiences enjoy helping others deal with their own issues. I also took a Strong Interest test combined with MBTI personality and the result showed Physical Therapist as the top occupation.

I plan on having an informational interview/job shadow a Physical Therapist next week to gain more insight into the career, and was wondering if you have seen this career switch before or how difficult it may be to do so.

Thanks

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[pubicsymphysis]

We seen many career switches. I had a career switch. Have solid GPA/GRE and shadow PTs in different settings.

Thanks

Np 👍

 

[jblil]

if you have seen this career switch before or how difficult it may be to do so.

I am also an engineer who switched to PT. I worked as a mech. engr for about 10 years, then switched to software for another 7 before starting on my DPT. So yes, it does happen.

Is it difficult? Personally, I found the biggest difference between engr and PT (at least the 1st year of PT school) is the amount of memorization required. In engr, one only needs to remember a few basic formulas and the rest can be derived. In PT, you have to memorize a lot more.

 

[PThopeful89]

You may also want to post this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=822 . I believe there are more current PT's/DPT students active on that thread. They may have had the same career change and be willing to offer insight.

 

[nicolej5]

I am also an engineer who switched to PT. I worked as a mech. engr for about 10 years, then switched to software for another 7 before starting on my DPT. So yes, it does happen.

Wow. Could I ask you why you changed to pt?That's a lot of time to invest in one career and then switch! Just curious 🙂

 

[jblil]

Both my parents had strokes. During their rehab, I drew on my engr training to design a couple of things to help them recover more quickly. I also had a chance to have long discussions with several PTs, and found the field quite interesting simply because it's so different than what I had done up to then. So I decided to go back to school.

The way the economy and professional careers are going, I would be surprised if most of you stayed a PT during your entire working life. Nor should you, IMHO. Life is too short, so we must enjoy what we're doing. I have plenty of friends who have 6-fig jobs but who dread going to work.

 

[Gryffindor3322]

You may also want to post this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=822 . I believe there are more current PT's/DPT students active on that thread. They may have had the same career change and be willing to offer insight.

Thanks for the advice. I'll make sure to post it on the other thread too.

 

[Gryffindor3322]

We seen many career switches. I had a career switch. Have solid GPA/GRE and shadow PTs in different settings.



Np 👍

I would consider my GPA to be solid at 3.38 coming from a really good Engineering Program at U of I. (3.6 GPA before I switched into core Engineering classes)

The one issue I'm running into right now is how I'll be able to get the other pre-reqs. I live close to a community college where I'm able to get most of them out of the way but I talked with a couple DPT programs and they want Anatomy and Physiology to come from a 4 year school. Have you seen this as the case?

Thanks

 

[somehowmadeit]

Don't worry about taking your Anat/Physio from community colleges. So long as those CCs are accredited you will be fine. Your biggest challenge will simply be to find those classes and enrolling, as many people are switching to health care fields and almost all (RN, PT, Rx, etc) require anatomy as a pre-req.

Switching to PT having a different and interesting background provides you with perspective as an individual and uniqueness as an applicant. Both are desirable qualities that PT programs want to integrate into their cohort. Figure out an interesting story about how your background will help you to be a PT with something to give to the profession and you will be a very strong applicant at all programs.

I am starting a program this year after having been a musician for 15+ years, and I think that difference in background helped me in the interview and personal statement process.

Best of luck!

 

[jblil]

I talked with a couple DPT programs and they want Anatomy and Physiology to come from a 4 year school.

Always check with the specific PT schools you are interested in. One of the schools I applied to required that Biology be taken at a 4-yr university, and not at a CC. Do NOT assume that all CC classes will be accepted, everywhere.

 

[DesertPT]

Don't worry about taking your Anat/Physio from community colleges. So long as those CCs are accredited you will be fine. Your biggest challenge will simply be to find those classes and enrolling, as many people are switching to health care fields and almost all (RN, PT, Rx, etc) require anatomy as a pre-req.

👎 👎

Please don't hose yourself out of applying for the school that you want to by taking classes that need to be taken at a university at a community college. If you do take everything at CC, just plan on only applying to schools that don't require anything to be taken at a university. Many schools don't care where you took your pre-reqs, but some do.

 

[469738]

I am also an engineer turning to PT. I have been a PT patient for 3 years because I have one of the rare conditions long term PT is greatly benefical for. I wouldn't be here sitting and typing to you without PT, it has changed my life. Engineering no longer feels fulfilling after 5 years. I have had some other life "changing" events that have made me reevaluate my life path. I do not want people to suffer as I have, so I want to get more awareness to my condition. My current PT who i see as patient and have shadowed has really inspired me. I hope to be able to apply next fall.

I agree with others than engineering to a biological / health field is vastly different in how to learn it. Engineering is majority of problem solving and applying knowledge. Where from my perspective of taking the pre-reqs, biology is a lot more memorizing and drawing connections and correlations on the material you have learned. The more biology you learn the easier it seems to be to learn because you can correlate the ideas together. Having an engineering background, does help with critcal thinking and problem solving, in my opinion because the engineering degree is basically teaching the best methods to do this.

Good luck!

 

[DesertPT]

I agree with others than engineering to a biological / health field is vastly different in how to learn it. Engineering is majority of problem solving and applying knowledge. Where from my perspective of taking the pre-reqs, biology is a lot more memorizing and drawing connections and correlations on the material you have learned. The more biology you learn the easier it seems to be to learn because you can correlate the ideas together. Having an engineering background, does help with critcal thinking and problem solving, in my opinion because the engineering degree is basically teaching the best methods to do this.

👍 I definitely agree with you. And good luck in your PT applications!

 

[somehowmadeit]

👎 👎

Please don't hose yourself out of applying for the school that you want to by taking classes that need to be taken at a university at a community college. If you do take everything at CC, just plan on only applying to schools that don't require anything to be taken at a university. Many schools don't care where you took your pre-reqs, but some do.

If a school specifically states that the classes must come from a 4-year, then by all means avoid CC.

However, having been accepted to 9 programs this year, 4 of which were in the US News and World Report top 20 (for whatever that's worth), I know that CC is acceptable for many programs.

I took almost all of my prereqs (including Anat, Physiology, Physics, AbPsych, Microbio, and ExPhys) either at CC or online.

It's possible, especially for returning students who have no other option (and who have interesting life experience to embellish their applications). It's been my experience that admissions committees understand the constraints of going back to school in todays extremely impacted environment.