Physical Therapy School Preparation at UC Davis

About Physical Therapy

A physical therapist (PT) is a health professional concerned with restoration and maintenance of one's ability to function following disease or injury. Stroke victims, injured athletes, children with muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, amputees, paraplegics and people with minor joint or muscle aches are among the patients a physical therapist may work with. The physical therapist treats patients with physical agents such as heat, cold, electricity, ultrasound, water exercise, and pressure. The goal of therapy is to improve circulation, strengthen muscles, restore gross motor skills, correct deformities, relieve pain and expedite recovery. Because recovery does not end for patients as soon as they are out of the physical therapist's direct care, the therapist must teach patients and their families what to do so that the healing continues through self-care at home. The final role of the physical therapist is keeping people well and safe from injury by teaching them the importance of fitness and designing individual conditioning programs. The physical therapist collaborates with other health professionals (such as physicians, nurses, occupational therapists and social workers) to help the patient attain the highest degree of physical, mental and economic independence possible. Qualifications important to a physical therapist include patience, empathy and a caring attitude, emotional stability, strong interpersonal skills, sincerity, the ability to instruct and motivate, and a non-judgmental attitude. A physical therapist must also be comfortable touching and treating the human body.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Master's Program

The Master's Program is a two or three year-round course of study involving clinical training as well as preparation for teaching, research, and administrative work. Master's degree programs are available for students seeking basic education in physical therapy, as well as for registered physical therapists who want to further their education.

Doctorate Program

The majority of entry-level Doctorate Programs have been extended beyond the traditional two-year program. Specifically, the Doctorate Program has been augmented to include, among other specifics, a larger clinical aspect, differential diagnosis, pharmacology, radiology/imaging, health care management, prevention/wellness/health promotion, histology, and pathology. Currently there is a faster conversion to the DPT than there was for the Master's degree. As of 2007, there are 186 accredited DPT (Entry-Level) Programs, and 25 Accredited MPT Programs have made or will make the transition to DPT in 1-5 years. Please check with The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for the current status of these programs, as well as more about DPT versus MPT programs.

Preparation for Physical Therapy School

Physical Therapy Experience
Most schools require experience in the physical therapy environment in at least two settings. Experience in the inpatient setting is either required or highly recommended by programs.
Generally, the inpatient setting is more difficult to obtain, therefore focus on that early on. The hours required differ for each school’s program.

Prerequisite Courses
Start taking prerequisite courses when possible. Each school has different criteria of prerequisite course work. Below is a list of general prerequisite courses that most schools require, however, you must research the specific schools you are interested in because each school has their own set of prerequisite courses. Generally, schools require all prerequisite course work to be completed before starting the physical therapy program. There are some schools that want a specific amount of prerequisites to be completed by the fall of the application deadline.

Prerequisite Course Work

In general, core pre-physical therapy required courses include:

• Chemistry 1 yr + lab (CHE 2A,B,C)
• General Psychology (PSC 1)
• Biological Sciences 1 yr (2A, 2B, 2C)
• Physics 1 yr + lab (PHY 7A,B,C)
• Abnormal Psychology (PSC 168)
• Physiology + lab (NPB 101+ 101L)
• General education courses in English
• Human Anatomy + lab (CHA 101+ 101L)
• Human Physiology + lab (NPB 101 + 101L
  
  Courses that may be required/recommended by some physical therapy programs include:

• Microbiology (MIC 102)/ BIS 104
• Organic Chemistry (CHE 8A,B or 118A-B-C)
• Exercise Physiology (EXB 101)
• Kinesiology (EXB 103)
• Physiology (NPB 101L) and Kinesiology (EXB 104L) Labs
• Public Speaking(CMN 1)
• Neuroscience (Neurophysiology or Neuroanatomy) NPB 100 or NPB112
• Medical Terminology (not offered at UCD)
• Pathophysiology (not offered at UCD)
• Pharmacology (not offered at UCD)
• Developmental Psychology (PSC 140)

• Check with individual schools for their exact requirements!
  While Advising Services staff attempt to provide accurate information, it is the student's responsibility to check specific admission requirements for each individual school.

• Visit Health Sciences Advising, and meet with the Pre-Physical Therapy Peer Advisor and/or Health Sciences Staff Advisors. Attend workshops and seminars sponsored by HSA. These programs occur periodically throughout the school year, and are advertised at HSA, flyers around campus, and through our listserv. Be sure to sign up for Get E-News!

• Learn more about the PT profession and obtain a list of all the accredited physical therapy programs in the nation by visiting www.apta.org.

• Visit the Graduate Record Examination Web site for information on the GRE (www.gre.org)
  
  
• Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS)
  On August 1st, 2008, the APTA launched a single web-based application to simplify the application process. For an overview of the service, full list of participating schools, and steps to register, please visit www.ptcas.org