What does the education of a physical therapist involve?
Asked by <3 Mrs. Brown <3
I'm 18 and trying to find out about different careers. I used to be interested in physical therapy but i don't want to have to get my doctorate. Can someone with experiance in this field tell me a little bit about the education required?

Best Answer:
Pretty good answers so far. As far as do you need a doctorate (DPT), the answer is no. However, I'd estimate that about 75% of programs have already transitioned to the DPT. However, you must at least complete a master's degree. There have been pretty good descriptions about how to go about doing it. The most common set up for programs is 3/3 and 4/3. The 3/3 format means three years of undergraduate work doing gen eds and prerequisites, and three years in the professional phase. These programs usually result in a master's degree. In the 4/3 format, you usually must complete a bachelor's degree first, and then attend the professional phase which is also 3 years. This usually results in the DPT degree. Very few programs try to complete the professional phase in 2 years...it's too much coursework. I agree with the post that the APTA website is helpful. Go to www.apta.org
I am a PT
Answered by mistify

Most schools have moved to a doctorate degree (DPT) for their physical therapy program but there are still a few master degree programs out there. All of the accredited programs, both MS and DPT can be found at the the APTA website. Most DPT programs can be completed in three years so you might not want to rule it out.
Answered by tersofa

talk to your college advisor about all of your career choices and options. they will inform you about the specific requirements for your field of study.
Answered by versantly

After getting a bachelors degree and meeting prerequisite requirements, you will need to head to graduate school. A masters degree is 2 years and a doctorate is 3 years. There is a big push towards getting your doctorate and making that the standard. There is a good chance that by the time you get to graduate school, you will HAVE to get your doctorate. I would just do the extra year. In the end, your extra knowledge will make you a better PT. Keep in mind, this is not a Ph.D. You will not have to do extensive research and you will not have to write a huge dissertation/thesis, defend it to a panel, and then graduate. This is a practice doctorate, similar to what medical doctors do. The doctorate vs masters will only increase your classroom hours and your clinical hours making you a more knowledgeable PT.
Answered by misspuppychow

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