FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Pre-Physical Therapy?
At Pitt-Johnstown we do not offer a Pre-Physical Therapy program. Rather, we have an advising program that guides students in their course selections so that they will be properly prepared for a graduate program in physical therapy and at the same time meet the requirements for graduation from Pitt-Johnstown.
What are the requirements?
· A well-rounded education with a distribution of studies in the Natural Sciences, the Social Sciences and the Humanities. The Pitt-Johnstown Distribution of Studies requirements take care of this general education requirement.
· Most students at Pitt-Johnstown who are interested in Physical Therapy major in biology.
· Most physical therapy programs require pre-requisites in the following courses:
| Courses | Credits | Pitt-Johnstown Equivalent |
| Chemistry I and II with labs | 8 to 10 | Chem 0111, 0113, 0112, 0114 |
| Physics I and II with labs | 8 to 10 | Phys 0140, 0141, 0142, 0143 |
| Biology I and II with labs | 8 to 10 | Biol 0110, 0111, 0120, 0121 |
| Anatomy*(human, vertebrate, comparative or anatomical kinesiology) | 3 | Biol 1120 |
| Physiology* (human physiology preferred) | 3 | Biol 1125 |
| Statistics | | Math 0212 |
| General Psychology | 3 | Psy 0200 |
| Developmental psychology or Abnormal psychology | 3 | Psy 0230 or Psy 1141 |
| English Writing (English composition or an upper-division writing course) | 3 | Engcmp 0005 |
*A two course sequence of anatomy/physiology may meet the anatomy and physiology requirements as long as there is a total of 6 credits
· A high QPA
· Many hours of observation in a variety of physical therapy settings.
Physical Therapy is a highly competitive field. In many institutions, the number of applicants significantly exceeds the number of available slots.
How do students find out about volunteer opportunities?
Many students do their volunteer work near their homes. The Career Services Center on campus (in the Student Union) helps provide placement.
If a student is eligible for Federal work-study funds, is it possible to make this part of the volunteer opportunities?
No. Work-study is for work performed on campus. At Pitt-Johnstown we do not have any physical therapy services on campus.
What schools in this area offer Doctorate of Physical Therapy program?
These are some of the universities with a DPT program in this region:
University of Pittsburgh
Chatham University
Slippery Rock University
Saint Francis University
Duquesne University
Lebanon Valley College
Thomas Jefferson
Drexel University
When do students begin the process of applying to Physical Therapy Schools?
In the spring of their junior year, students usually begin looking at the different schools and learning about the programs. The application process takes place during the senior year. Most applications are due at the school some time between early October and later November. The student is responsible for completing the applications and requesting recommendations from faculty and the individuals who supervised their volunteer work.
Can a student relocate to Pitt-main?
For students admitted for Spring 2005 and later, new standards for relocation to the School of Arts and Sciences (Pittsburgh Campus) will be enforced. The new Arts and Sciences relocation requirements include:
(1) completion of 60 total credits (at least 45 of the 60 credits must be earned at Pitt-Johnstown) with a minimum GPA of 3.0,
(2) completion of the appropriate general education requirements for Arts and Sciences,
(3) declaration of a major at the time of relocation, and
(4) completion of the prerequisites for the declared major.
How competitive is the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Pitt-main? The DPT program receives a large pool of applications. For the year 2009,
approximately 400 students have applied and approximately 60 students will be accepted.
The average GPA of the admitted class is 3.5.
What are other possibilities in the area of Health and Rehabilitation Science?
It’s a good idea to keep alternatives in mind. Some that students commonly look into:
· Exercise physiology
· Athletic training
· Health administration
· Public health
· Physical therapy assistant
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh is a good place to start looking for related fields.