<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I've been in this whole situation on what major or career to pursue. My first option was to do Marine Biology. Did some research on that and wasn't expecting what I read and heard. I wanted to then just get a Biology degree, but my family doctor and I had a talk. He tells me that it's going to be very difficult for me to find a job with just a Bio degree fresh out of Undergrad. If I have a Biology degree might as well become a Doctor. It wasn't really me, so now i'm stuck with two of these majors. Physical Therapy or Radiology? My question(s) are: </p>
<ul>
<li>Which will support me financially in the long run?</li>
<li>Which is easier to less money to spend while in school?</li>
<li>Which is harder academically?</li>
</ul>
<p>Please if you can give me some answers as soon as possible it would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!</p>
<p>Radiology? Do you mean going to med school and then becoming a radiologist or do you mean becoming some kind of radiology technician? </p>
<p>I don’t know the answers to all of your questions except that PT now requires a kind of doctoral degree (but not an MD or a Phd), and I think it takes 6 years. You should look up specific programs at different schools to be sure.</p>
<p>There are many kinds of rad. techs, so again, start looking around. My sense is that they would take less long, but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>To clarify myself I meant to say Radiologist. PT takes longer?</p>
<p>Radiologist takes longer: bachelor’s, med school, residency.</p>
<p>What about Physical Therapy?</p>
<p>I think physical therapy can vary depending on the program. There used to be five-year programs. Now I think there are some master’s programs, but many are moving to Ph. D.'s. Do a Google search for your state requirements.</p>
<p>For UMD Baltimore, you need a Bachelor’s degree already, with all the courses they require, and then it is a three year program for a DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy).</p>
<p><a href=“http://pt.umaryland.edu/pros_dpt_admissions.asp[/url]”>http://pt.umaryland.edu/pros_dpt_admissions.asp</a></p>
<ul>
<li>greenwitch </li>
</ul>
<p>Are those new requirements?</p>
<p>I think so, but I’m not sure how new. Physical therapy, pharmacy, and being a nurse practitioner are all transitioning into being doctoral degrees (but usually not Phd). Master’s programs are disappearing. It seems a bit like an arms race to me and there was an earlier thread bemoaning the loss of the MSN nurse practitioner.</p>
<p>It is best to look at DPT programs for your PT education. You can go to 4 years of undergraduate school with any major as long as you take the required prerequisites.
Then you apply to the 3 year DPT program. A small number of high school seniors can get into 6 year DPT programs beginning freshman year of undergraduate school. Graduate DPT programs are very competitive. Many of undergraduate students that I have known have had to spend an extra year since they made the waiting lists but did not gain admission on the first round. It is very important to spend time shadowing a PT. This can be in any setting: geriatrics, sports medicine, rehab, acute hospital, school, orthopedic clinic. If you spend time shadowing a PT, you may be hired as a PT aide. You will get some very good experience in the clinic and earn some pay as well. PT graduate admissions looks at your shadowing experience, your letters of recommendations, GRE, and undergrad record. This is a very rewarding and flexible career. I have worked on the faculty in a medical school, private practice, international representative of the APTA, consultant, instructor for continuing education. Other fields to look into include occupational therapy and speech and language pathology.</p>