ABOUT PRE-PHYSICAL THERAPY

Pre-PT students are those students interested in becoming a physical therapist by going to physical therapy school after completing their undergraduate degree. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, “Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education.” A physical therapist, often in consultation with physicians, works with individuals of all ages who have injuries or disabilities to improve their ability to move, reduce or manage pain, restore function (if possible), and prevent future injury. Most physical therapy programs in Texas are 3-year programs with the student earning a doctoral degree in physical therapy or DPT. To be licensed to practice in Texas, a PT must pass a national licensing exam and a Texas jurisprudence exam. PTs have the opportunity to specialize and some of these specializations include: sports, orthopedic, geriatric, pediatric, and cardiovascular and pulmonary. There are currently 16 DPT programs in the state of Texas and Tarleton will adding its own PT program very soon!

General Prerequisite Coursework For Physical Therapy School

Undergraduate prerequisite courses for Texas PT schools:

  • 8 hours biological sciences
  • 8 hours general chemistry
  • 3 hours medical terminology
  • 6 hours psychology
  • 8 hours physics
  • 4 hours statistics
  • 8 hours of anatomy and physiology
  • Additional advanced courses in STEM and social/behavioral science are recommended

    Note:
  • The list of courses above will generally qualify a student to apply to most PT schools in Texas, however, considerable variation exists. It is important for the student to carefully look at prerequisites requirements at each PT school of interest and work with academic advisors to ensure timely completion.

In the College of Science and Mathematics, a degree in Biomedical Science with a Pre-PT concentration is the most direct path for completing prerequisite coursework in the context of a 120-hour degree. Other degrees outside of this major are perfectly acceptable, however, be aware that you will need to complete all PT school prerequisites in addition to any other requirements for your major.

Admissions Exam

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is the entrance exam required to apply to most DPT programs. For a student on a typical track, this exam will be taken in the spring of the third year. Students should become familiar with what is covered on this exam as soon as possible.

Experience

In addition to a strong academic record and competitive GRE score, the successful applicant to PT school will demonstrate a passion for physical therapy as evidenced by experience and skills. Many DPT programs require at least 100 hours of supervised shadowing by a practicing PT. Also, a student should begin early developing core competencies of the entering medical student as identified by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). The competencies are important for any health pre-professional student to develop.

Application Services

PT school applicants in Texas will apply to DPT programs using the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). This typically occurs between the 3rd and 4th year of your undergraduate degree.