Physical therapy can be an especially rewarding career as it often has a direct impact on people's lives and their ability to carry out daily functions. Physical therapists not only work with those who have injuries that need treatment, but also with those who simply want to become healthier and prevent future injuries. This diversity of patient populations can make this an attractive career. Physical therapists also work in a number of different settings, including clinics, hospitals, schools, sports and fitness facilities, workplaces, nursing homes, and patient homes. This variety of working environments can be an appealing aspect of the profession. 

There are no specific competencies listed by Physical Therapy programs. However, as a physical therapist, you will be working closely with individuals to improve their quality of life and achieve their movement goals. This generally requires that you have great communication skills, critical thinking, compassion, time management, dexterity, physical stamina, and a detailed-oriented mindset. These are skills you can develop during your time at Brown and beyond.

Each physical therapy program has its own set of specific prerequisite courses. Therefore, you will need to research the schools to which you plan to apply to ensure you have met their specific requirements. You can find these on the PTCAS Directory or via the individual websites for each program. We have compiled a list of the most commonly required courses, but this is not a comprehensive list.

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Two semesters of biology (each with lab; note: botany and zoology courses typically do not fulfill this requirement)
• General Chemistry 1 and 2 (each with lab)
• General Physics 1 and 2 (each with lab)
• Psychology
• Statistics

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for most physical therapy programs, especially those that lead to the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. This exam measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills.

Many physical therapy schools require or strongly recommend physical therapy volunteer or paid experiences working with patients under the supervision of a licensed physician or physical therapist. This is important to help you gain an understanding of the career and ensure that this is a good fit for you. 

Many PT programs also require one to four letters of reference, which may be written by individuals such as a science professor, academic advisor, or physical therapist. If references are required by a PT program you are interested in, be sure to review the specific requirements and obtain letters from appropriate individuals. 

You should spend your first few years of your undergraduate education taking the recommended coursework for physical therapy programs, becoming involved in experiences to prepare you for the profession, and studying for the GRE. If you plan to attend physical therapy school directly after graduation, you will need to start applying in the summer after your junior year. The Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) enables you to send a common application to multiple schools. The PTCAS application typically opens at the beginning of June and PTCAS takes 6-8 weeks to verify your application. Some programs have rolling admissions, so it is in your best interest to apply early to ensure the highest chances of admission.