I am looking to change careers from whatever it is I do now to PT. I have a BA in Theatre so did not take any of the science courses required to get into a PT school. I’ve started taking one class a semester at night but at this rate, it’ll take years to complete the courses I need. I’m really into going to school again and want to expedite the process so am thinking of quitting this lame job I have and taking classes full time (no economy comments please, I know quitting job right now, etc…). So, my current internal debate is…I looked into an Associates in Science degree which includes most of the classes required for PT school plus/minus a couple. I’m starting to think this may be the way to go as I’d look like a better applicant than someone with only a BA and the minimum required classes. Would you agree that having an AS in addition to my BA would look better on an application? Or does it really not matter and I should just focus on the minimum required courses?
Thanks,
Andy
Why don’t you call a few admissions offices of the school you are interested in going to? Have a quick conversation with them about it and see what they say. That’s their job, so I would think they’d be ready to answer your questions. It probably depends on the school and how demanding the admissions process is.
x2 on admissions consult. A lot of allied health programs want volunteer/prior experience as well. You may do well to check into getting a PT assistant cert from a community college, then working in the field as you attend school for the full degree (now a doctorate, IIRC).
Agreed that you should call some programs to see what they say. I know where I went, Bellarmine University, that you are required to have so many hours of volunteer/work experience related to PT. In Kentucky you don’t have to have any certificate to be a PT tech and you could do it on the weekends. Try to get experience in different areas of PT. My class was a wide range of people with various experiences and ages. It takes all types and experiences.
Cool thanks all. I called a couple of schools and none stated they would require a degree in science, just the required science courses plus a Bachelor’s in anything. And…of course, the volunteer hours, and some the GRE. I guess I was just hoping to get an opinion on whether or not the Associate’s in Science would actually help my chances. It’s a way for me to get financial aid if I do indeed quit my job, so I wanted to weigh the value of it. I could then focus on classes and volunteer work, studying for GRE, and of course, triathlon.
Thanks again,
Andy
x2 on admissions consult. A lot of allied health programs want volunteer/prior experience as well. You may do well to check into getting a PT assistant cert from a community college, then working in the field as you attend school for the full degree (now a doctorate, IIRC).
All PT programs have to be a DPT by 2015 but not all programs have been converted yet. Maybe 75% have though. Also, I’m trying to become a PT as well and I know several of them. All of them say that it is nearly impossible to work while in PT school so working as a PTA while in school isn’t likely. I do recommend the admissions counselor as well because that is their job. The biggest thing is to have good grades, have a strong desire to be a PT, and be able to connect with patients easily.