DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Pre-PT/OT Coordinator Dr. Jay Williams at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (jhwms@vt.edu)
Email:
Dr. Jay Williams,
 
I am currently enrolled in a college research class in the GT mentorship/internship program at Glenelg High School, Howard County, Maryland, as a head start towards earning a degree in either Physical or Occupational Therapy. As a requirement for the class I have to develop a real thematic college research project based on my topic: Physical Therapy, and was searching for input on a thesis statement topic. I currently attend an internship under Ron Spicer, PT, at Physiotherapy Associates in Clarksville, Maryland and was wondering if there was any way I could receive some input from the Pre-PT or related Biology department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University as I am very interested in attending your school in the fall of 2011.
Thank you!
Rebecca Rouse
DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

 

Health Professions: Pre-Physical Therapy http://www.career.vt.edu/OHPA

 

Office of Health Professions Advising 

(OHPA)

Dr. Judith A. Wubah

Smith Career Center (0128)

231-6241     jawubah@vt.edu         

Pre- PT/OT Coordinator

Dr. Jay Williams (HNFE), 323 Wallace   jhwms@vt.edu

Be sure to meet with your departmental Academic Advisor on a regular basis in addition to the individuals listed above.

 

MAJORS INFORMATION

Any major is acceptable as long as certain specific admission requirements are met. Students should check specific school requirements.

 

Common Majors:   Biology (BIOL), Business (BUSI), Human, Nutrition, Food and Exercise (HNFE), and Psychology (PSYC). 

 

SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS

          Course Number         

Title

Credits

Prerequisites

BIOL 1005, 1015

BIOL 1006, 1016

OR

BIOL 1105, 1115

BIOL 1106, 1116

General Biology, General Biology Lab

OR


Principles of Biology, Principles of Biology Lab

8


CHEM 1035, 1045 (lab)

CHEM 1036, 1046 (lab)

General Chemistry, General Chemistry Lab

8

Must be taken in sequence. 

PHYS 2205, 2215

PHYS 2206, 2216

General Physics, General Physics Lab

OR

PHYS 2305, 2306 Foundations of Physics

8

MATH 1016


MATH 1205

BMSP 2135, 2145

BMSP 2136, 2146

Human Anatomy & Physiology

8

BIOL 1005,1006 or

BIOL 1105, 1106

MATH 1015, 1016 or other calculus sequence


Elementary Calculus with Trigonometry

OR

Other calculus sequence

6

 

ENGL 1105, 1106

Freshman English

6


PSYC 2004

Introductory Psychology

3

 

STAT 3615

Biological Statistics


3


OTHER COURSES REQUIRED BY SOME SCHOOLS

Prerequisites

BCHM

Biochemistry


BIOL

Cell and Molecular Biology

BIOL 1005,1006 or 1105, 1106

CHEM 1016 or 1036

HNFE 3824

Kinesiology

BMSP 2135, 2136

PHYS 2205 or 2305

COMM 2004

Public Speaking

Sophomore standing

ENGL 2764

Technical Writing

Junior standing

PSYC 3014

Abnormal Psychology

PSYC 2004

SOC

Sociology


BIOL

Pathology (check school for specific course requirement) 


 

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) or INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) INFORMATION

Please check with the schools of interest for specific information. 

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE / SUMMER COURSES  INFORMATION

It is generally NOT recommended to take these prerequisite courses over the summer.  Health professional schools prefer the courses to be taken at a four-year institution with a normal academic load.   Please check the schools of interest for additional information on their requirements.   

 

GET INVOLVED!!   VT Student Organizations, Courses, and Opportunities

Course:  UH 2004:  Careers in Medicine 1 credit, sophomore or higher (Fall only)

Office of Health Professions Advising http://www.career.vt.edu/OHPA

Physical Therapy Club- http://www.physicaltherapy.org.vt.edu/

 

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Health Professions Group Information Sessions:  Twice per week in the Smith Career Center

Online registration required, there will be specific sessions for Freshmen/Sophomores and Juniors/Seniors. Check the Office of Health Professions Advising website frequently for dates and times.

 

APPLICATION & ADMISSION INFORMATION

  • Admission TestGraduate Record Examination (GRE) required by most schools.  A minimum Verbal and Quantitative combined score of 1100 is expected.  Foreign applicants whose native language is not English must achieve an acceptable score on TOEFL examination and submit an approved credential report for coursework completed outside the United States. Current minimal acceptable TOEFL scores are 575 for Paper-Based Test or 89 for Internet-Based Test. 


  • GPA:  3.45 to be competitive. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in math and science pre-requisites is required. The GPA is calculated several ways; overall, upper-division course GPA, and combined science and math GPA.  Students should check on-line for the mean and range of GPA for their schools of choice


  • Experience:  A minimum of 40 hours of clinical experience (volunteer or paid) in various physical therapy settings is generally required. Some schools require that the clinical experience be verified with a signed form.  Students should therefore check with the specific program into which they want to matriculate.  The Office for Pre-Health Advising will work collaboratively with students to assist them gain this necessary practical experience.  Specific requirements by each institution can be found at www.apta.org à Education Programs à CAPTE Accredited Programs Chart of Admission Requirements


  • Application:  Apply through PTCAS - PT Centralized Application Service, an online application process. Not all professional PT programs participate in PTCAS. Applicants who wish to apply to a NON-participating PTCAS program must apply directly to the institution using that PT program’s local application. Filling out of the physical therapy school application through the online service is time consuming thus students should plan accordingly.
  • Campus Interviews:  Conducted by the Health Professions Evaluation Committee in the spring of each academic  year (March - May)


  • PT School Interview: Some programs have interviews and other do not. Students should check with the specific program into which they want to matriculate. 

 

  • Information Tidbits: All Virginia Physical Therapy programs offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Most schools now are only offering the DPT program; only 9 schools nationwide offer a Master’s program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER RESOURCES

 

Regional Course Requirements by School:

School

Minimum GPA

GRE

Clinical Hours

Hampton

3.0 overall

2.8 science

Required

Scores should reflect 4.0 Analytical writing; verbal + math > 900


40

Marymount

3.0 overall

3.0 science

Required

Scores not specified


40

Old Dominion

3.0 overall

Required

Scores not specified


80

Shenandoah

 

 

Minimum 2.8 for all prerequisite courses

Required

Scores not specified.

100

Lynchburg College

 

Minimum 3.0 overall

Minimum 3.0 science

Required.

Scores not specified

40

George Washington

Prefers 3.0 overall; not a set minimum.

Reviews applicant as a “whole” but prefers GRE of 500 verbal.

Not specified



Howard

3.0 in required coursework; 3.0 science GPA.  Grade of C or better in required courses.


Not required


80; at least 20 in acute care

Duke

Previous year:

Overall 3.56.; natural science GPA, 3.47. 

Grade of C or better in prerequisite courses.


Required.

Previous year:  verbal, 58.57 percentile; quantitative, 61.94 percentile; and writing, 56.31 percentile

Not specified.  Need “adequate exploration of the profession”


 

The Office of Health Professions Advising at Virginia Tech assists students and alumni pursuing a health care career in medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, chiropractic, occupational therapy, nursing, physician's assistant, veterinary medicine, or other graduate health professions.

Any student or alumnus/alumna of Virginia Tech, regardless of major, can use the services of OHPA. Although the majority of health professions students major in a science field, it is not required.

Students should meet with their departmental Academic Advisor on a regular basis to ensure requirements are being met for graduation.  The Office of Health Professions Advising is an important complem

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.