Working under a Professor

[PrePTguy]

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I understand that it is not a prerequisite but I was curious if working under a professor would help in my chances of getting into a physical therapy program. I am to assume that this would be for a reference letter but wouldn't a letter from a physical therapist that I volunteered under be a stronger indication than from a professor. My previous references from professors came from how hard I studying in class and how well I handled myself during that semester.

 

[wright6]

Is the work that you'll be doing related to physical therapy or your current major?

 

[PrePTguy]

Physical therapy hence why I believe that it may need be as strong as a letter from a physical therapist. I am not working under a professor just yet though.

 

[Watson27]

Many (if not most) schools require a letter from both a professor and from a PT. Depending on the individual and the relationship, either letter could be considered better. But admissions committees do no inherently put more weight on the LOR from the PT. Working with a professor as a TA or research assistant is obviously going to give you the opportunity to have a much stronger letter than if you were simply a student of said professor.

 

[PrePTguy]

True, many who try to become doctors or scientists work under a professor, but a PT volunteer needs a letter from the physical therapists who he/she shadowed under.

 

[DesertPT]

My boss, who is an academic (I work in molecular biology) is the strongest reference I have. You will need a letter/letters from PTs too obviously, but a really strong letter from a professor and/or academic is great too. How well the person knows you and how much they have good to say about you is as important if not more important than who they are.

 

[Rgvmed]

My boss, who is an academic (I work in molecular biology) is the strongest reference I have. You will need a letter/letters from PTs too obviously, but a really strong letter from a professor and/or academic is great too. How well the person knows you and how much they have good to say about you is as important if not more important than who they are.

writing a lab report on TOPO TA cloning right now. I love the molecular stuff, I'll miss it come next year 🙁

 

[DesertPT]

writing a lab report on TOPO TA cloning right now. I love the molecular stuff, I'll miss it come next year 🙁

It will definitely be a big transition to make from the lab bench to PT school. I sure am looking forward to it though. 😀

I'm just hoping that my long term time/effort commitment to cancer research over the past couple of years isn't going to seem like I'm not dedicated to PT. I have pretty widely varied obs. hours, I went more for variety over quantity though due to time constraints, so no really long-term commitment to a particular clinic/hospital. Pretty much all my EC's/everything I have that could be put on a resume is related to biology/research (which is a pretty good amount for an undergrad).

I think on the one hand it will make me stand out from all the kinesio majors and PT techs, but on the other hand I wonder if it won't make somebody go, well if this guy loves cancer research so much, why isn't he going into cancer research?

 

[Rgvmed]

It will definitely be a big transition to make from the lab bench to PT school. I sure am looking forward to it though. 😀

I'm just hoping that my long term time/effort commitment to cancer research over the past couple of years isn't going to seem like I'm not dedicated to PT. I have pretty widely varied obs. hours, I went more for variety over quantity though due to time constraints, so no really long-term commitment to a particular clinic/hospital. Pretty much all my EC's/everything I have that could be put on a resume is related to biology/research (which is a pretty good amount for an undergrad).

I think on the one hand it will make me stand out from all the kinesio majors and PT techs, but on the other hand I wonder if it won't make somebody go, well if this guy loves cancer research so much, why isn't he going into cancer research?

That's a good question actually, why are you not going further with it? I work in a research lab as well, Huntington's and Parkinson's projects. I could see myself work in the academic world at some point in the future. I'll consider phd programs when the times comes, sometime in the future.

 

[DesertPT]

That's a good question actually, why are you not going further with it? I work in a research lab as well, Huntington's and Parkinson's projects. I could see myself work in the academic world at some point in the future. I'll consider phd programs when the times comes, sometime in the future.

Because I would much rather be a PT than have a career in the PhD molecular bio world for a wide variety of reasons. I just wonder if I give a good answer for why I want to be a PT if some interviewer is still going to think well then why didn't you do more PT stuff in undergrad? Or if research in another field will be a good/interesting thing for me to talk about.

Geez, I sound like one of those neurotic pre-meds...

 

[DesertPT]

And sorry for the epic thread hijack...but eh, it was kind of an aging thread anyway 😎