Career Pathways: How Do I Become a Physical Therapist?

As a former admissions officer and high school counselor, I’ve interacted with many students considering a career in physical therapy. Frequently the student was athletic and had interacted with a physical therapist while rehabbing an injury. Or I met other students who recovered from surgery through physical therapy and their interest in the career was piqued. While many students shared with me that they thought physical therapy would be “a cool job,” very few understood the pathway to get there. What degree do I need to become a physical therapist? Becoming a licensed physical therapist requires a four-year bachelor’s degree typically followed by a three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Some doctoral degrees can take less than three years to obtain or may be offered through a hybrid bachelor-doctoral program. What should an aspiring physical therapist major in? Similar to other healthcare fields, there is not just one major that will prepare students to apply to a DPT program. The most common undergraduate degrees for students interested in physical therapy are kinesiology, exercise sports science, and biology. But students can apply to DPT school from a variety of fields as long as they have completed the prerequisite coursework for programs they are considering. Prerequisite coursework may include biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and statistics. It is important for college students to identify these prerequisite courses early, so they can map out completion of required courses during their undergraduate studies. Another important thing to consider is some programs recommend completing all prerequisite courses at a four-year university as opposed to a community college. A student should weigh all factors and consider specific programs when exploring alternative pathways. Do PT programs require a standardized test? In addition to coursework, some programs require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), a standardized test for graduate school admissions. It is important to check admission requirements for all schools you may be considering. Doing this early in undergraduate studies is the best way to ensure you will stay on track and meet all requirements by the time you are ready to apply (depending on the program, application deadlines can be as early as junior year or the summer before senior year of college). Do PT programs require certain activities in college? DPT programs expect applicants to have had volunteer and clinical experience. So, as a student considers where to pursue their undergraduate degree, they should try to get a sense of what opportunities there are for gaining hands-on experience. These opportunities could be on campus working with athletes or in a sports lab, or off campus volunteering at a senior center or working at a physical therapy clinic or hospital. Most DPT programs will ask applicants to not only outline their work and volunteer experience, but also their observation hours; some even require a signed form from a licensed PT verifying hours. Early exposure not only helps students build their resume to become a competitive applicant, but also can confirm the type of environment in which the student hopes to someday practice. What can high school students interested in physical therapy do now? It’s never too early to start exploring this career. If a high school student wants to learn more about physical therapy as a potential career, they may consider volunteering with a local physical therapist or assisting athletic trainers or coaches at the high school. Because the prerequisite courses for DPT school are STEM-focused, building a strong foundation through courses like biology, chemistry, and physics is recommended. If the high school offers electives in anatomy, psychology, or related fields, those can also be great courses to consider. Communication and organizational skills are also key components of this career track, so developing these abilities in the high school years can give a student a head start to being a future strong candidate for DPT school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this career field is expected to grow by 15 percent through 2032, so the job outlook is good. If you like to be on your feet, are a good communicator, and enjoy anatomy and physiology, this may be a great career option for you.