Becoming a Sports Physical Therapist & Choosing a Major

Graduate School
1

<p>Hey everybody,</p>

<p>I am looking to become a Sports Physical Therapist one day to treat patients who have become injured due to sports related problems and need help to recover.</p>

<p>Currently I am in my senior year of high school and have 15 college credits completed. Most of these classes are on the IGETC list, which means they transfer to UC/CSU colleges. I will have 21 credits completed by the end of this semester (if I pass the classes I am currently taking) and will have around 24-27 credits completed by the end of my senior year in high school. I am going to transfer to Santa Monica College after I graduate high school, but right now I am stuck. I do not know what to major in. I am thinking either
history, (because it is one of the easiest majors in SMC, but I'm scared it might be hard for me later in life when I transfer because I am bad at history)
kinesiology [exercise science[ (because I will need it for physical therapy, but i've heard it does not get people anywhere and nobody I know is a kinesiology major),
sociology (because for both i know people who majored in this and could help me with it, but they are becoming lawyers and doctors not physical therapists). </p>

<p>If it is not one of the options above, feel free to add it.</p>

<p>I am not really interested in anything except working out which is kinesiology (exercise science) or maybe even nutrition.
What do you guys think?</p>

<p>I am looking also to transfer to a UC college, preferably UCLA. </p>

<p>Does anybody know any path I can take to transfer easier to UCLA?
Is UCLA even a good option if I want to become a sports physical therapist?
how many years of school do i have in total?
can anybody write me a map of what i have to complete in SMC and UCLA and then some graduate schools i could go to?</p>

<p>Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks in advanced!!</p>

2

<p>My sister is an exercise science major, and she wants to do cardiac rehabilitation and then go into physical therapy. Kinesiology is a good major in preparation for physical therapy, and you don’t hear about it often because most schools don’t offer it.</p>

<p>If you are interested in kinesiology, why not major in it? You’ll learn about body mechanics. My sister really enjoys her exercise science major.</p>

<p>If you want to become a physical therapist, you’ll need a DPT. Any school you go to for undergrad that will enable you to fulfill those requirements will be good, including UCLA.</p>

<p>Writing a “map” of what you need to do is <em>your</em> job. Do a google search for Doctor of Physical Therapy programs and look up what their requirements are. Those are things you will have to do in undergrad. Generally it’s some combination of the sciences (anatomy and physiology, physics, maybe chemistry) and some liberal arts requirements (English, math, psychology), plus some volunteer hours with a physical therapist (many schools require about 100 hours).</p>