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Over my years as a physical therapist, the way I practice has shifted. I’ve gradually come to rely less on modalities and manual therapy, and more on exercise. This change has come in part because of a desire to help make patients more independent and less reliant on me, and is also based on a […]

There’s no doubt that becoming a physical therapist is expensive. The cost of physical therapy school and amount of debt many PT’s take on is one of the biggest issues in the profession even if you’re attending a relatively inexpensive school. To offset the cost of PT education, it can be helpful to get scholarships.

It’s well established by now that most PT schools are expensive and the majority of future physical therapists have to take out loans to cover the costs of their education. In 2019, the average total tuition for three-year DPT programs was: According to the APTA, almost 93% of PTs graduate with an average of $152,882

So, you want to become a DPT, but are worried that you won’t get into PT school. Should you become a PTA first instead? This might sound like a good idea, but most people seem to agree that it’s not. If you want to become a PT, it’s probably best to go right for the

In recent years, hybrid PT programs have gotten increasingly popular. Compared to a traditional, residential three-year doctor of physical therapy program, hybrid programs, also called blended, flex, or nonresidential programs, include both online and in-person learning. Some are accelerated, allowing you to earn your DPT in only two years, while others take up to four

Will you have to get a background check in PT school, or as part of the application process? As it turns out, you just might. If not, you may have to get one before starting certain clinicals or jobs. Here, you can see a list of states that require background checks for licensure. While I

Every few weeks, I see panicked messages from PT students and applicants wanting to know if they’ll be drug tested. While rare, some programs arrange for drug testing before school starts, while others do it during the program (especially before clinicals), and many others don’t do it at all. Often, certain clinicals or jobs will

If you’re filling out PTCAS observation hours, you’ll have to indicate which setting you were in. While some settings might be obvious, the level of detail PTCAS asks for can be confusing. What is the difference between subacute and acute? What is a SNF? Since PT’s can work in dozens of places, I’ll stick to

An important component of applying to PT school is the reference section, for your letters of recommendation (LOR). Like the personal statement essays, the reference letters are a chance to set yourself apart from other applicants who will mostly have similar transcripts, grades, test scores, and observation hours to yours. Each PT school in PTCAS

Can you work with athletes as a physical therapist? Well, that depends on how you define “athlete.” In a typical outpatient orthopedic clinic, you’ll probably treat a bunch of high school athletes and weekend warriors. If you’re close to a college, you might get to work with some athletes there as well. Or you might