Major: Physical Therapy
A wide range of people benefit from physical therapy (PT), from premature infants recovering from surgery to injured athletes striving to return to the playing field.
If you want to master the techniques and exercises that physical therapists use to help people reach their goals, you’ll need to earn a graduate degree. PT is not an undergraduate major, and the studies are intense. But if you want to help others get moving again -- literally -- the rewards can be great.
Students of physical therapy learn the skills necessary to prevent and treat conditions that affect the ability to move and function.
Did You Know?
- To get into grad school, you’ll need to earn good grades in biology, anatomy, physiology, and math as an undergrad. And related volunteer experience is sometimes a requirement and always a plus, as is CPR certification.
Are You Ready To...?
- Commit to two or three years of grad school
- Hit the science books hard
- Learn to spot and treat a wide range of problems
- Practice new skills with patients in a variety of clinical settings
- Complete internship requirements
It Helps to Be...
Interested in sports, exercise, and dance. A head for science and an interest in helping others are also essential.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association?
- Does the program award the master of physical therapy (M.P.T.) or the doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.)?
- Does the program offer the flexibility to pursue areas of special interest, such as pediatrics, geriatrics, teaching, or research?
- What kinds of research projects are professors involved in, and how can students get involved?
- Are labs and other facilities clean, spacious, and well equipped?
- What kinds of fieldwork and volunteer experiences are available?
“Although various undergraduate majors may help you get into a professional physical therapy program, you must be interested in movement as the primary component of health. ”
Susan S. Deusinger, Director, Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine
Course Spotlight
Neurophysiological therapeutics is about as easy as it sounds -- in other words, it’s not. But physical therapists often have to treat people with multiple sclerosis, head injuries, and other neuromuscular disorders, and in this class, you’ll learn how to help such patients.
You'll probably mainly attend lectures for the class, although you may do some hands-on work in the clinic. And you’ll likely be asked to demonstrate what you’ve learned in both oral and written reports. By the time the semester ends, you should be ready to walk into an ICU (intensive care unit) and cope with even the most extreme PT cases.
