What is involved in becoming a physical therapist

Question

I currently have my BA in psychology and work in a behavioral health facility but am looking into continuing my education and obtaining my master's in PT. My main questions are:

1. How much will having my BA-and some inpatient experience-benefit my continuation towards a master's in PT?

2. Do I need a BS in PT in order to get into a master's PT program, or can it be done with a BA?

3. Can anyone recommend an on-line school which might offer a master's program for PT?

I would especially like to hear from those out there that are currently PT's, but any input is greatly appreciated-especially on the topic of on-line school programs.

Thanks, Dale

Answer 1

Your BA in psych will probably cover some of the classes you need to take as a requirement for PT school.  However, if your BA did not require any general chemistry, physics or biology, you will need to return to school for a year of those...plus anatomy and physiology and perhaps a few other courses.  

A BA vs a BS does not matter, just that you have a bachelor's degree AND that you've completed the prerequisite courses.

There are no online courses for PT.

The best resource is for you to go to the APTA website at: http://www.apta.org and start browsing under the list of PT schools so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

good luck

Answer 2

If you consider taking online course to become a physical therapist, you may not have to worry about all these questions. Mostly, online courses have no such restrictions imposed. I would like to recommend http://www.ed2go.com/ . They have a course that would help you become a physical therapist.