Pre-Physical Therapy

Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) offers a pre-professional programs that are designed for students interested in dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and veterinary school and who wish to use their undergraduate program to get the prerequisites before applying to their program and choice.

Pre-professional is not a major—it is a focus. This focus will help students pick out the courses and activities to increase their ability to be admitted to a professional program. Competition for limited spots in professional programs is high, and students will need to find ways to academically prepare and differentiate yourself for admission.

Physical therapists work with individuals across all age ranges to improve their quality of life through exercise, hands-on care and education. They help evaluate patients and provide preventative care, rehabilitation, and treatment for injuries. Careers in physical therapies are diverse, and include work in clinics, hospitals, at-home, schools, fitness facilities, workplaces and in nursing homes.

In the U.S. physical therapists must have a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), which requires three years of education. Curriculum is both in the classroom and in the clinic. Upon completing their degrees about a third of physical therapists work in a clinical setting, with 26% working in a hospital setting.

The academic requirements for admission to physical therapy school typically include courses in anatomy, physiology, biology, general chemistry, general physics, psychology and statistics. Physical therapy schools may vary in their prerequisites, so be sure to check prerequisites by program. For Texas these are listed in the Texas Physical Therapy Association. For the U.S. these are listed at the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

Pre-Physical Therapy is more of a pathway than a degree at MSU Texas. Students may major in anything and still be eligible to apply to Physical Therapy school if prerequisite requirements are met. However most pre-physical therapy students will pursue degrees in either in biology or exercise physiology because they include prerequisite requirements of physical therapy school.