After my PT school admissions decisions came in, I thought the hard part was over. Instead, I spent months stressing over which DPT program to attend – a time that was almost as tense as the application process itself. I ended up choosing Columbia’s doctor of physical therapy program, and am happy with the decision many years later. With the January 15 deadline fast approaching, I thought I’d discuss some things to consider when choosing a PT school.
- Cost. This cannot be overstated. Student debt is a huge problem in this country and one of the biggest concerns in the physical therapy profession. Most PT’s simply aren’t paid very well compared to the large amount of debt they take on. Do what you can to take out as little money as possible, up to and including reapplying to less expensive schools next year. That said, here are a few other things to consider:
- NPTE pass rate. The National Physical Therapy Exam, also known as the “boards” is what you need to work as a physical therapist. While some states allow students to practice before passing the boards on a temporary license, when it comes down to it, you need to pass the boards in order to get a job as a PT. The national average first time boards passing rate is 91%, so the school you choose should be close to, or above this number. Also, be aware that many schools disguise this number as the “pass rate within a year.” You can only take the boards every three months, and you only have a few times to pass it before you cannot take the test anymore. You want to pass it right away and start working. If they don’t give you the first-time pass rate, that may be a red flag, so ask about it.
- Graduation rate. Do a lot of students tend to drop or fail out each year? If this statistic is not noted, ask about it. If it isn’t close to 100%, ask what they are doing to support students. You don’t want to fail or drop out after all the time and money you’ll have spent getting to this point. For more on graduation and NPTE pass rates, check out this post.
- Support. If you belong to an underrepresented group, will you have the support you need in the program? What about family or friends close by? This is worth looking into.
- Location. Unless you’re attending a hybrid program, is the school located somewhere you can see yourself living for three years? Do you know where you want to live after graduation? Many of the connections you’ll make in school will be near the program, so keep that in mind. I have a whole post about PT school location factors here.
- Clinicals. How are they assigned? Do students have to compete for them? Is it random? Will you have to attend a clinical that is far away from the school? If you want a clinical in a certain location or setting, will that be a choice you can make? Can you set up your own clinicals? All of this is important. Halfway through PT school, my husband moved several hours away. Luckily, my school allowed me to set up my own clinicals and I was able to get my first job this way. I also was able to set up other clinicals that allowed me to save money by living with my parents again. And finally, since I knew I wanted to work in outpatient orthopedics, I was able to do three of my four clinicals in this setting, which gave me a huge edge as a new graduate physical therapist.
- Curriculum. Some programs are hybrid, others are accelerated. Some employ problem-based learning, team-based learning, etc. If the program is touting something special in the curriculum, do your research and see if this makes a difference.
Two factors I don’t think matter as much:
- Research and service opportunities – I don’t think these things are as important as many people make them out to be. Almost every program will have some options for this, and are you even going to take advantage of them? Don’t let details such as these be a distraction.
- Bells and whistles – schools will tout anything and everything to make themselves special. Is having a brand-new classroom great? Yes. Is it worth thousands of extra dollars? Probably not. Many schools will highlight their curricula in all different ways, but at the end of the day, no matter that they call a class, they’re all basically teaching the same things. DPT curricula are heavily regulated, and centered around preparing you to the pass the boards, so no matter how they phrase it, you’re getting almost the same thing everywhere.
This list will vary a bit for everyone, but these are my thoughts. Good luck deciding!