Do you care to know about all the necessary things that will be required in physical therapy schools?
If yes, then, you are on the right track because we will be talking about physical therapy requirements in this article. It will serve as a complete guide to you during your application process.
Overview
There’s no getting around it. It’s hard to land a job in healthcare. Regardless of their discipline, those who care for the health of others must prove that they have the smarts and the skills to be doctors, and that means going to a reputable medical school.
Once you get into med school, you will face a whole host of challenges. Students must maintain excellent grades, must pass stressful exams, and must perform well in clinical situations.
But it pays off in the end. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that physical therapists make an annual salary that averages $91,010 per year and that the field will grow by 18% over the next few years.
Not only will future physical therapists make good money, but they will be likely to get a good job when they graduate. See Best Physical Therapy Schools in Florida.
That reassuring fact will hopefully keep you going during the toughest parts of physical therapy school when you’re being challenged mentally and physically.
Some might say that the process of applying to physical therapy school is just as hard. Like all medical schools, physical therapy schools demand a lot of information from applicants, which can get overwhelming.
But there’s good news: you’re not alone. Not only have we shown you some of the best schools in the country, but we can also walk you through the process of applying. See Best Physical Therapy Schools in California.
This guide covers everything you need to know about physical school requirements. We’ll give you pointers for courses to take, We’ll tell you which classes you should take, how to take the GRE, how to fill out your application, and so much more.
So if you’re ready to meet the challenge and reap the rewards of a career in physical therapy then get started with these physical therapy school requirements.
1. PT School Course Requirements
Although most physical therapy schools will accept applications from those who hold a degree in any subject, it’s undoubtedly true that some classes will prepare you better than others.
As a physical therapist, you’ll be both a scholar and a practitioner, which means you’ll need skills in both areas.
While each school has its own culture and expectations, it’s important to remember that they are fundamentally graduate schools.
They should be a continuation of your intellectual journey, not a brand-new start. For that reason, the courses you take as an undergrad matter a great deal for your application.
In most cases, schools prefer applicants who have taken the following: two semesters of general chemistry with lab, two semesters of biology with lab, two semesters of physics with lab, one semester and lab of human anatomy, and one semester and lab of physiology.
Many programs also like to see certain specialized courses, such as kinesiology, pathophysiology, exercise physiology, two semesters of statistics, and two semesters of English composition.
Two semesters of a foreign language can be beneficial, especially if you’re looking to secure employment where that language is common among the patient body. Likewise, most schools prefer students who have taken psychology and another social science class.
2. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Requirements
Because physical therapy school is fundamentally a graduate school, most programs require scores from a standardized test.
Namely, they want results from the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), a test standard for graduate school applications.
Although some institutions require GRE subject tests, most programs only want scores for the general GRE.
The general GRE covers knowledge common to every college student, no matter their major. The six sections of the test assess skills students will use in graduate school: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking.
The analytical writing section asks students to draft two essays in one sitting and on a time limit. Students must explain a complex topic for the first essay. For the other essay, the writer must make a persuasive argument.
The program on which test-takers compose the essays has no spell check or grammar check program, requiring the writer to draw from their own knowledge.
After completion, two readers grade the essays on a scale of 0-6, awarding a final grade from an average of the two.
3. PT School Extracurricular Requirements
Imagine yourself getting ready to submit your completed application for physical therapy school.
You’ve taken all of the required classes and you’ve earned good grades. You have strong scores on the GRE.
Your personal statement essay is compelling and your letters of recommendation come from leaders in the field.
Before sitting back in victory, ask yourself one question: “Am I the only person with these accolades?”
In most cases, the answer is “no.” Many other people who are applying to the PT school also have really good materials. So what can you do to make yourself stand out?
One of the best ways to distinguish your application are extracurricular activities, those unique bonus things you can do that aren’t required but are interesting.
Before we get into the type of extracurriculars that help an application, let’s point out a couple that does not.
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, history as a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) does not increase your chances. In fact, fewer than 2% of students in PT school were PTAs, which makes clear its unimportance to apply.
Letters of Recommendation
As you’ve no doubt have found, every part of your application to physical therapy school carries weight.
Admissions committees will be reading your personal statement, assessing your test scores, and even looking at your GPA. But few parts of an application carry as much weight as letters of recommendation.
Simply put, a letter of recommendation is a letter written by an expert to recommend a student for inclusion in a program.
Think of it as party etiquette. If a person with good taste tells you to watch a particular movie or to try a certain restaurant, you’re more likely to trust them.
The same is true of a letter of recommendation. If a recommender is trusted by a committee and has good things to say about you, then they’re more likely to consider your application.
That sounds simple, but there is definitely an art to securing a good letter of recommendation.
On a basic level, letters of recommendation should come from someone who is respected by the committee, who knows you well, and who has seen your best.
Don’t ask your English teacher to write a letter to recommend you to physical therapy school, because their word doesn’t carry as much weight in that program.
Conclusion
That was all in this article, was it educative to you? You can send your response to us using the comment section.
Last Updated on June 25, 2023 by Admin
