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Before PT school, I worked as an aide in an outpatient orthopedic clinic and also shadowed a physical therapist in a hospital. Now, as a physical therapist, I let prospective physical therapy students shadow me all the time. Whether you find work as a PT aide or tech or fulfill your observation hour requirements by […]

In my last post I mentioned trying to get as many physical therapy observation hours as possible. A great way to do this is to get a job as a PT aide or tech — two synonymous terms that are used for people who support physical therapists. These paid positions do not typically require any

I was speaking with a woman who belongs to my gym last week who is deciding if she wants to become a physical therapist. I offered to take her on as a shadow later in the summer, but I also advised her to gain as much PT experience as she can in the meantime. I

What do we know about the PTCAS essay, or personal statement prompt, for the 2021-2022 application cycle? At the moment, I assume the PTCAS prompt will remain the same as it was last year: “Every person has a story that has led them to a career. Since there are a variety of health professions that

When you apply to physical therapy school, you hope you’ll be accepted and fear rejection, but for many each cycle, there’s a third fate: the waitlist. Each year around this time, future physical therapists on waitlists wonder what they can do to get accepted and start PT school. Before I get into advice for getting

After you’ve finished your PT School interview, there’s still one more task to check off your to-do list: a thank you note! While a thank you letter won’t guarantee your admission, it’s one extra gesture to make a positive impression.  Separate, personalized emails should be sent to anyone who interviewed you, whether that is one

“When was the last time you were angry?” “What’s the last book you read?” “What’s your favorite animal, and why?” We’ve all heard stories of unusual PT school interview questions, and there’s a chance you’ll be asked at least one. If you Google “common interview questions” you’ve probably come across some of these. I’ve been

In the summer and fall of the application cycle, most PT school applicants worry about whether they’ll be accepted anywhere. But eventually, typically in the winter, a lucky bunch of pre-PT’s have a new worry: What do you do if you’ve been accepted to a school and they ask you to put down a deposit

Now that it’s the new year, many of you are getting ready to start PT school in the next few months. One question I’ve seen a few times is whether or not you should buy textbooks for your classes. In short, I would say: NO! I’ve been a physical therapist for over five years, and

I’m excited about a blog post I wrote recently for The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. I’ve been a subscriber as part of my APTA membership since 2012 and I’ve enjoyed reading their new blog. I wrote about how my writing background informs my patient care by making me more aware of word