DPT School

Graduate School
1

Hi, little quick back story of myself. I am 29 y.o. second-degree college student. I have a degree in business administration and criminal justice. I have worked 4 years within the EMS field, 1 year in Anesthesiology, 2 months in Sterile Processing, and 4 to 5 years in Psych. I am currently taking the prerequisites to apply to nursing school. Over the years working with nurses and seeing the work interested me. However, after helping my Fiancée study (Fiancée in nursing school finishes at the end of the year) my interest wans.

I am considering the PTA field Unfortunately age and money are a very big issue. I am 30 making very little to live off in an unstable job position. Fiancée who I am marrying the end of the year is finishing school at the end of the year. Once she gets her BSN in a year or so wants children. I have about $5000 in debt and $1000 in bills/rent/food. I like to at least pay off some debt prior to entering the DPT program. Currently only making $28K to $30K with being a PTA my yearly pay would increase by $20K a year.

I am not interested in nursing view it as a way to place me in a stable job market and improve my financial situation.

I really do want to do DPT school. I am looking at PTA school, which won’t cost to much of an arm and a leg. At most $6,000. I figure once a PTA I can place myself in a stable job position, improve my financial job situation, move to a cheaper State to live in, a State with a weekend or PTA to DPT bridge program, and work in a job related to the Physical Therapy field.

It would take me 6 to 7 years to go from PTA to DPT. Where if I did an Entry DPT program it take me 5 to 6 years from pre-requisites to finishing the DPT program. So it’s just an extra year in the long run.

Appreciate the insight and honest feedback.

2

It doesn’t look like there are too many PTA to DPT bridge programs. There are a few scattered ones, but I would imagine most PTAs who want to become PTs go through the traditional route. On the upside, your PTA experience would help you get into DPT school.

It sounds like you and your fiancee both want training to get you into desirable and stable careers. While it’s possible, of course, to balance children with education and work, it might be difficult and put some strain on a new marriage - is it possible to discuss holding off having a new baby until after you are finished with a PTA program?

How do you figure that the DPT program will take you 5-6 years? DPT programs are 3 years long. Most programs won’t take you unless you will have all of the prerequisites finished before you begin (although you can apply while they are still in progress). If you are currently taking nursing prerequisites, a lot of those - chemistry, biology, psychology, physics, statistics, anatomy & physiology - will also cover your DPT program. A PTA program is 2 years. So if you don’t include the prerequisites, the DPT will take 3 years and the PTA + DPT would be 5 years.