Find out About the Career & Its Preparatory Education

Check out the information found on the web site of the American Physical Therapy Association, at http://www.apta.org/.   In particular, click on "Education Programs" and then "Student Resources". 

In addition to an adequate GPA and (often) an adequate entrance exam score, PT programs tend to require records of clinical experience for admission.  You need to find out from the PT programs well ahead of time what sorts of experience will "count", and work that into your schedule just as you would a class you have to take. 

Note that the PT profession is transitioning into a DOCTORAL level program (i.e. 4 years of study after a UW Oshkosh bachelor's degree).

With some changes at UW Oshkosh, the Biology major may no longer be the BEST major for PrePT.  Instead, you should consider the Kinesiology major.  See below for more info...

Pick Some PT Schools You'd Go To If Admitted

There are many accredited PT programs in the United State.   To see an alphabetical list by state, visit http://www.apta.org and click on "Education Programs", "Student Resources", and then "PT/PTA Programs".

Get the Scoop on the Admissions Policy of those PT Schools

Check carefully to find out your intended PT program's requirements. These policies are out of UW Oshkosh's control and could change at any time, without notice.  Therefore, you should check on them once each year.  Key points to discover about each school:
1. Do you have the required prerequisite courses from your Bachelor's Degree?
2. Do you have the required prerequisite clinical experience?
3. What is the application deadline? (you should always apply as soon as applications open for that year)
4. Does the admissions application require the General GRE entrance exam, the Subject GRE entrance exam, or both? (more on these below)
5. When must you take the required entrance exam in order to complete your application by the program's deadline?
6. If you aren't admitted the first time you apply, can you re-apply? What are the statistics on the success of second applications?

Make Use of PrePT Resources on campus!

Contact UW Oshkosh's PrePT advisor, Dr. Mrotek, to get help.  mrotekl (at) uwosh (dot) edu.

Consider joining PHPO and signing into the PrePT group.

Consider joining the PrePT group in the Kinesiology Club.

Important Update about PhyEd courses needed to qualify for PT school

PT schools want PrePTs to take Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, and (often) a Motor Learning course.  At UW Oshkosh, these courses are taught by the Kinesiology Department, not the Biology Department.

In Fall 2009, the UW Oshkosh Kinesiology Department will change its curriculum, in particular the department will offer three emphases all of which are compatible with the prerequisite courses for pre-PT students . 

• The Exercise & Fitness emphasis trains students to work with clients to improve their health and wellness. Additional courses beyond this emphasis will be required to meet the prerequisites for DPT school.

• The Strength & Conditioning emphasis trains students to work with athletes who are trying to improve their athletic performance.  Additional courses beyond this emphasis will be required to meet the prerequisites for DPT school.

• The Healthcare-Science emphasis is a rigorous scientific course of study to prepare students for a variety of graduate and professional schools. 

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Mrotek in the Department of Kinesiology.

Find Out About Signing up for any Entrance Exam(s)

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required for admission to some PT programs.  There are two parts to the GRE:  (1) the General GRE test and (2) the Subject GRE test.   To find out about the GRE, go to http://www.gre.org.   You can sign up to take the GRE at this web site. 

The General GRE test can be taken almost any day of the year through a computerized process, right here on the UW Oshkosh campus, and you should have your General GRE test scores back in about 2 weeks. 

Remember: you have TWO deadlines to think about: the deadline for signing up to take the GRE AND taking it early enough for your scores to be reported on time as part of your PT school application. 

Who Will Write Your Rec Letters?

PT schools require recommendation letters, often 3 of them, and often one MUST come from a practicing PT.  Therefore, early in your college career, you need to arrange a job shadow that gets you noticed, in a positive way, by a practicing PT who will be able then to write you a strong recommendation letter.  You can shadow during summer or vacations, but you MUST do this!  For more information on Job Shadows, click here.

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