The Road to PT School
Hello College of Health Science students, welcome to another successful school year! My name is Kevin Innis, I recently completed CBU’s M.S. Kinesiology program. I am currently a student at Western University’s DPT program, which began August 2018. For those of you preparing to apply to graduate programs after your undergraduate careers, I would like to share some of my experiences with you. I am hoping that some of these experiences can help you avoid the same mistakes I made, and better prepare you for the graduate application process.
HERE WE GO!
Six Pointers To Note As An Undergrad
- Attend Office Hours
If there is one regret I have about my undergraduate career, it’s how little time I spent attending office hours. I would find excuses to avoid going, telling myself that I had a great understanding of the week’s course material. If I knew it so well, why would I go? What I’ve come to realize is that a lack of questions is usually due to poor understanding. This may seem counterintuitive, but bear with me. As health science students, we can all appreciate how complex and incredibly interwoven the systems of the human body can be. There should always be questions to ask! I found that going to office hours accomplished two tasks: 1) It forced me to review material and find higher-order questions to ask my professors, and 2) It helped lay a stronger foundation for understanding course concepts.
- Prepare for Lecture
One of the highest yielding changes I made to my academic life between my undergraduate and graduate programs was preparing for lectures. It may seem insignificant but scanning through new lecture slides or required reading prior to class can give you helpful context to improve your learning.
I’d also like to mention why facilitating this type of learning is so important, especially for those of us entering healthcare professions. Mastery of the concepts we are learning in class everyday will not only help us for exams—it will also prepare us to provide our best care to future patients. (This helps me turn off Netflix and hit the books some more.)
- Expose Yourself to Different Settings
Get out there and investigate as many settings as you can! There are so many different settings that any one healthcare profession can take. You owe it to yourself to understand what they entail. You won’t like every volunteer or shadowing site—however, a better understanding of why you like or dislike certain settings will help you better realize your goals, ambitions, and future career path.
For those seeking exposure to in-patient experience in physical therapy—almost every hospital employs a physical therapist. One of the best ways to get your foot in the door is by reaching out to the hospital’s volunteer services department. You can usually speak with the volunteer services coordinator, undergo the appropriate volunteer training, and request to volunteer alongside the physical therapist. This can sometimes be much easier than simply asking to shadow the hospital’s physical therapist.
- Utilize Group Studying
Group studying is incredibly helpful. As a future healthcare professional, working well in a group is a necessity. We will have to work in conjunction with other professional disciplines to achieve optimal outcomes for future patients. By working together in study groups, we can improve our communication skills, teamwork abilities, and leadership qualities. We can also gain new perspectives on course material to improve our understanding. If you don’t feel as though you’d benefit from a study group, then try teaching course concepts to your classmates. By helping others learn course material, you can improve your own understanding (as the old saying goes, “If you can teach it, you know it”). If you’re not in a study group now, become part of one!
- Go to the Career Center
I wish I had realized how valuable a resource my university’s career center was during my undergraduate years. One of the best decisions I made was going to the CBU career center for a mock interview and resume review. For those of you looking to enter graduate healthcare programs, the career center can help you prepare for those interviews! I attended a mock interview at CBU’s career center two weeks before my actual interview at a DPT program, and it helped me tremendously. I had helpful feedback that related directly to my interviews at physical therapy schools—two weeks later when it came time for the real interview, I felt comfortable, confident, and prepared.
- Get Involved in Research
I spent a considerable amount of time conducting research in my graduate program, and I wish I had participated in more research as an undergraduate. If Derek Jeter (sorry Dodgers/Angels fans, I’m from NJ) offered private batting lessons, would you pass that up? Of course not! Your faculty are literally experts in their fields—ask them about their research! I can see three huge benefits from being involved in research: 1) You’re considerably expanding your knowledge; 2) You’re getting hands-on experience in a process by which all scientific knowledge is gained; 3) You’re contributing to a working body of knowledge that can improve people’s lives. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?
PTCAS — “The Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service”
The PTCAS is the service used by most physical therapy schools for application processing. Here are a few things I wish I had known about before beginning the PTCAS.
Letters of Recommendation
The PTCAS will require letters of recommendation from professors, physical therapists, or supervisors. Try to find evaluators who know you well and can speak to your potential as a future physical therapist. It helps to request these letters as early as possible. You can tell your evaluators to save your recommendation on their computers so that it can be submitted in a timely manner. Inform your evaluators early to keep your application submission from being delayed!
Prerequisites
Before you apply to any program, make sure that your prerequisites are in order. Before paying application fees to any program, make sure you meet their prerequisite requirements. This applies to having completed all the necessary prerequisites, as well as meeting their prerequisite GPA. I had to retake a few prerequisite courses, and also take some new ones, to make sure I met these requirements.
Another important factor to keep in mind is repeated coursework policies. If you have to repeat any prerequisite coursework, it helps to know how your prospective DPT program will calculate your GPA. Some programs allow for complete replacement of repeated coursework, while others will only average the two grades. Understanding these program-specific prerequisite calculations will help you prioritize your list of DPT programs.
The GRE
The GRE is not the most exciting test to study for. However, your performance on the GRE can set your apart from other applicants. Make sure to know the GRE score requirements for each program you’re applying to. Before paying to send your application to any institution, make sure you meet the minimum GRE score. There are many ways, via online and textbook, to study for the GRE. I used an online study tool, along with a book full of practice problems—it helped tremendously. Make sure to read the solutions on any questions you answer incorrectly and find what works for you! You may have to take more than one test to see your highest score (I did), and that’s ok! I gave myself about 3 months of committed studying before taking the exam.
Tips When Applying to Physical Therapy Programs
Reach Out to Admissions Counselors & Utilize Preview Days
Admissions counselors are there to help you. Reach out to them with any questions you may have about their DPT program. It’s important to find a program that suits your values, interests, and goals. Admissions counselors will help you better evaluate which DPT program might be a better fit for you.
Some DPT programs have preview days, where applicants are invited to campus. Go to these! Attending preview days will help you understand more about the program. You’ll gain a better understanding about the university’s culture and if it’s a good fit.
The Interview
The interview process can be stressful. However, there are a few things you can do to put yourself in the best position possible going into it. I’ve already mentioned utilizing CBU’s career center, which can be incredibly helpful. By receiving their feedback on your interview performance, you’ll know where you need to improve.
It’s easy to get lost in the process of completing prerequisites, studying for the GRE, filling out applications and checking off boxes. Do not forget why you want to be a physical therapist! As hectic as things may be, you should set aside time for reflection. Speak with your professors and physical therapists about some of the challenges in healthcare. How can you make a difference? What are some of the ways you want to improve and deliver help to those who need it? What attracted you to the profession? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where would you like to improve? By reflecting on these types of questions, you can help yourself better prepare for interviews.
To Conclude
I hope that some of the things I touched on are helpful. Graduate school (applying and attending) can be hard, time consuming, and a little stressful…but that’s ok! It should be! Remember that anything worth doing will never be easy! Continue growing, stay positive, and always make time for the things that are important to you.
Kevin Innis
M.S. Kinesiology
