I started working with a teenager this year who's paraplegic, and i'm just loving it! I'm currently majoring in Business and am about to start my 3rd yr (i'm almost done), but now i'm thinking about switching careers and going into PT. what should i do? should i finish my business degree first and then just take the prerequisites to a masters program before i apply, or should i start from scratch with a BA in the sciences/health (considering that i haven't taken any sciences besides psychology)? also, once i start studying PT, what should i specialize in- if i want to work with children who became paraplegic?
what area of PT should i specialize in?
- Thread starter ragger33
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First, finish your degree...you don't want to start over at this point. I didn't decide to do PT until about Oct/Nov of my senior year, and I still managed to get in all the prereqs within one year of graduating (so I only had to take a year off). Like you, I had only taken psychology (and stats) prior to deciding to do PT, and my major was totally unrelated to the field.
Since you are in your third year, try to start taking classes that meet the prereqs if your schedule will allow it....if you're pretty close to completing the requirements for your major, you could feasibly get in all the prereqs before you graduate (especially if you took 2-3 classes in summer school at a community college between your junior and senior years). Worse case scenario, you may have to take a year off to take the extra classes you're missing. Either way, this would be much cheaper than trying to change your major now and/or start over and have to do at least 3-4 more years of undergrad.
And you can't specialize in anything until after you graduate from PT school...because of the licensing exam, all PT schools (at least that I'm aware of) have to have a general curriculum that prepares you to take the exam - no PT school will just teach you to be a pediatric PT, neuro PT, or ortho PT. It is my understanding that in order to be accredited, they must teach you to be a well rounded practitioner capable to practice in any setting. On the licensing exam there may be questions about wound care/burn management, as well as peds, neuro, ortho, and cardiopulmonary PT...if you've only been taught one thing, you won't pass the exam.
After graduation though, and when you work for a company, you can continue to take classes and get a specialization in pediatric PT, or neuro. Peds isn't going to only be paraplegic children though...you'll also get a lot of cerebral palsy, down syndrome, maybe some autism, etc. With neuro, you'll get some CP, but also a lot of stroke and spinal cord injury patients as well.
You'll also have to do some clinicals while in school, so you can try to get at least one of them in a pediatric setting, so that when you apply for a job after graduation you have some more experience in that arena.
Regardless, try to get some more shadowing experience, outside of the pediatric setting. Since you'll inevitably have to learn and do PT in other settings, make sure you at least somewhat enjoy the other settings too (you don't have to love it, but you don't want to hate it). Most PT schools require several shadowing experiences anyway.
Hope this helps...sorry it's so long. It turned into a novel. haha.
Since you are in your third year, try to start taking classes that meet the prereqs if your schedule will allow it....if you're pretty close to completing the requirements for your major, you could feasibly get in all the prereqs before you graduate (especially if you took 2-3 classes in summer school at a community college between your junior and senior years). Worse case scenario, you may have to take a year off to take the extra classes you're missing. Either way, this would be much cheaper than trying to change your major now and/or start over and have to do at least 3-4 more years of undergrad.
And you can't specialize in anything until after you graduate from PT school...because of the licensing exam, all PT schools (at least that I'm aware of) have to have a general curriculum that prepares you to take the exam - no PT school will just teach you to be a pediatric PT, neuro PT, or ortho PT. It is my understanding that in order to be accredited, they must teach you to be a well rounded practitioner capable to practice in any setting. On the licensing exam there may be questions about wound care/burn management, as well as peds, neuro, ortho, and cardiopulmonary PT...if you've only been taught one thing, you won't pass the exam.
After graduation though, and when you work for a company, you can continue to take classes and get a specialization in pediatric PT, or neuro. Peds isn't going to only be paraplegic children though...you'll also get a lot of cerebral palsy, down syndrome, maybe some autism, etc. With neuro, you'll get some CP, but also a lot of stroke and spinal cord injury patients as well.
You'll also have to do some clinicals while in school, so you can try to get at least one of them in a pediatric setting, so that when you apply for a job after graduation you have some more experience in that arena.
Regardless, try to get some more shadowing experience, outside of the pediatric setting. Since you'll inevitably have to learn and do PT in other settings, make sure you at least somewhat enjoy the other settings too (you don't have to love it, but you don't want to hate it). Most PT schools require several shadowing experiences anyway.
Hope this helps...sorry it's so long. It turned into a novel. haha.
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I agree in finishing your degree. Since it is in business you could potentially use it in the future on the business aspect of PT if you were to open your own clinic.
It wasn't until AFTER I had recieved my bachelor's degree that I realized I didn't want to do what I had gotten my degree in.
It took me one year to take all the pre-requisites needed. All I had was a psychology course and I think sometimes they require a college writing course and I had that. I had to take Stats, Developmental Psych, Chem 1&2, Bio 1&2, Physics 1&2, Anatomy and Physiology. Took Stats and D. Psych over the summer online through a community college and then took all the other classes through the school year at the local university. Lucky for me, my parents let me stay at home so I didn't have to worry too much about bills and things.
But, I agree. Finish the degree, see if you can pick up some of the pre-reqs along the way, without overdoing it 🙂q
It wasn't until AFTER I had recieved my bachelor's degree that I realized I didn't want to do what I had gotten my degree in.
It took me one year to take all the pre-requisites needed. All I had was a psychology course and I think sometimes they require a college writing course and I had that. I had to take Stats, Developmental Psych, Chem 1&2, Bio 1&2, Physics 1&2, Anatomy and Physiology. Took Stats and D. Psych over the summer online through a community college and then took all the other classes through the school year at the local university. Lucky for me, my parents let me stay at home so I didn't have to worry too much about bills and things.
But, I agree. Finish the degree, see if you can pick up some of the pre-reqs along the way, without overdoing it 🙂q
Wow guys. Thanks a lot for all of the help. I really appreciate it.
In general though, do most DPT programs care where your prerequisite classes came from? Because I was actually thinking of taking some online classes, and maybe some community college courses when I get back home in the summer. Do any of you know-of either: any trustworthy online colleges or colleges with online courses? Maybe I should start taking some online courses now?
In general though, do most DPT programs care where your prerequisite classes came from? Because I was actually thinking of taking some online classes, and maybe some community college courses when I get back home in the summer. Do any of you know-of either: any trustworthy online colleges or colleges with online courses? Maybe I should start taking some online courses now?
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I would avoid online classes, especially lab sciences (because you can't do online labs).
I did almost ALL of my prereqs at community college (both chems, both bios, physiology, both physics, calc, abnormal psych). For the most part the material is the same, and I go to (and got accepted at several and/or interview offers at) some very highly ranked schools. They understand that after completing a 4 year degree and since you're planning on going to grad school, your funds will be limited and community college just makes sense.
I took abnormal psych online, but it was through the community college. It was technically a "telecourse", where we went to the school to take tests but everything else was done independently or online. On my transcript though it shows up as a regular course, so that doesn't matter. My classmate took calc online too....some classes you can get away with, but you might want email the specific schools you're looking at to check.
I did almost ALL of my prereqs at community college (both chems, both bios, physiology, both physics, calc, abnormal psych). For the most part the material is the same, and I go to (and got accepted at several and/or interview offers at) some very highly ranked schools. They understand that after completing a 4 year degree and since you're planning on going to grad school, your funds will be limited and community college just makes sense.
I took abnormal psych online, but it was through the community college. It was technically a "telecourse", where we went to the school to take tests but everything else was done independently or online. On my transcript though it shows up as a regular course, so that doesn't matter. My classmate took calc online too....some classes you can get away with, but you might want email the specific schools you're looking at to check.
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I honestly hated the two online classes I took... Especially Stats. I couldn't just show my professor my work and say "Hey where did I make a mistake?" I had to somehow figure out how to explain it to post it on the class message board and/or email him. It was a little frustrating.
I would most definitely avoid ANY science courses online... They want you to have the labs.
Personally, for me, I noticed that a couple of the schools I was interested in had their sciences for "science majors" reccomended. So, I took the Bio, Chem and Physics that science majors take, instead of just general bio for the general population. Yes, it was more work, but I think it will look better with my application since I got all A's... well, one B 😛
But Community College is perfectly acceptable. I think that if it is not, they will say on the requirements page that the classes are required from a "4 year degree granting institution" or something of the like...
I would most definitely avoid ANY science courses online... They want you to have the labs.
Personally, for me, I noticed that a couple of the schools I was interested in had their sciences for "science majors" reccomended. So, I took the Bio, Chem and Physics that science majors take, instead of just general bio for the general population. Yes, it was more work, but I think it will look better with my application since I got all A's... well, one B 😛
But Community College is perfectly acceptable. I think that if it is not, they will say on the requirements page that the classes are required from a "4 year degree granting institution" or something of the like...
Thanks again guys!
btw, i couldn't help but notice that DancerFutureDPT's location says Chicago suburbs. I also happen to live in Chicago. Which community college would you recommend I go to, to take my prerequisite classes? I've heard that Oakton Community College is quite good, but it would be more expensive for me because I don't live in that district. So, I would probably prefer to go to a city college of Chicago (but I'm not limiting myself yet). What have you heard about Truman College?
btw, i couldn't help but notice that DancerFutureDPT's location says Chicago suburbs. I also happen to live in Chicago. Which community college would you recommend I go to, to take my prerequisite classes? I've heard that Oakton Community College is quite good, but it would be more expensive for me because I don't live in that district. So, I would probably prefer to go to a city college of Chicago (but I'm not limiting myself yet). What have you heard about Truman College?
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I don't know anything about Truman or the city colleges...I worked with a girl who was going to be taking classes at one of them, but I transferred to a different clinic before she actually started the semester.
I've taken classes all over the place (I had less than a year to get all my prereqs in while working almost full time, so I took what I could where I could). I took physics I and chem II at Oakton, physics II at College of Dupage, and the rest at Elgin Community College. I technically had residency in all 3 districts, otherwise I wouldn't have done it (I worked in one district and had my boss sign off that I was working full time to get in district rates, even though I wasn't, I registered at Oakton initially while I was still living in my college apartment and never told them I moved, and then my parents are in district for the other one. haha).
I think for generic classes it really doesn't matter. ECC and Oakton used the same books for chemistry, even though I took one semester at one and one at the other. A lot of it depends on the instructor you get too.
Are you looking to apply to Chicago PT programs?
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Nice! I applied to all the Chicago schools, and got into NU and UIC...both great programs. I chose NU, but a good friend of mine goes to UIC and loves it. Good luck!
