Can I get into a physical therapy program with a bachelors in fine arts?
I’m currently a junior graphic design major and want to go into graduate school to become a physical therapist.
If I take a minor now to do PT pre requisites would that help me?
I think that the main issue is whether this is possible without extending the number of semesters that you need to spend in undergrad. Your might want to talk to PT advisors at your currently university if they have it. You very likely will want to take PT prerequisites as soon as you can, but someone would probably need to look at what classes you already have taken as part of figuring out what you need to take.
What is your financial situation? Can you afford to spend more than 4 years in undergrad?
I have had very good results with physical therapy, and think highly of it as an occupation that really helps people.
Financially, I’ll have to take out loans if I’m staying in school longer. I didn’t want to have to but I know I will since I have to go to graduate school anyway. :((
How expensive is your current school?
Your other option is to go ahead and graduate on time, and then take the remaining PT school prereqs at a community college, perhaps while working in your current field. (There are also formal pre-health post-baccalaureate programs… but honestly you’d just be paying a lot more money for the privilege of a grade curve set by premeds, when the CC classes are really fine.) http://www.apta.org/ProspectiveStudents/Admissions/PTProcess/
PT prereqs are:
Anatomy + lab
Physiology + lab
Biology 1 (not botany or zoology)
Biology 2 (not botany or zoology)
General Chemistry 1 with lab
General Chemistry 2 with lab
General Physics 1 with lab
General Physics 2 with lab
Psychology
Statistics
It’s going to be a pretty long haul, if you’re just starting your prereqs and then have to apply to DPT programs, which will take another three years once you start. PT is a great career for the right person, and it pays decently well, but not so way that you want to be starting out with a mountain of educational debt. So, really think through your financial situation and what level of “taking out loans” you’re talking about.
One alternative, if you lean toward the sports-med side of PT, is to go for a Masters in Athletic Training instead, which is a two year grad program rather than three, and has a slightly lighter load of prereq lab sciences ( http://caate.net/apply-now/ ):
Anatomy + Lab
Physiology + Lab
Chemistry *OR* Biology
Nutrition
Physics or Biomechanics
Exercise Physiology
Psychology
(Recommended: Statistics)
Occupational Therapy Masters programs also take two years; and this field might allow you to utilize your art & design background more than PT would. (Example OT prereqs: http://www.sjsu.edu/occupationaltherapy/Programs/entry-level_ms/prereq_courses/index.html )
Also keep in mind that chiropractic school takes less than 3.5 years and prepares you for a career with more autonomy than most PT’s experience.
Not to talk you out of PT; it’s just good to frame it in terms of the various alternatives as far as time commitment vs. payoff, and make sure PT is the best choice for your particularly interests and priorities.