This document is one in a series designed to provide basic information about mainline health professions and the Premedical Office at Xavier University of Louisiana.

What is Physical Therapy? Physical Therapy (PT) is an allied health profession that serves to restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or diseases. The primary human systems that physical therapy is concerned with are the integumentary (skin), musculoskeletal, neuromusculoskeletal, and cardiopulmonary. By focusing on these human systems, physical therapists can provide appropriate therapeutic intervention without the use of drugs. Accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, sroke, fractures, head injuries, and cerebal palsy are examples of persons who rely on physical therapy for the restoration and maintenance of fitness and health.

What Do Physical Therapists Do? Physical Therapists (PTs) examine medical histories and then test and measure the patient's strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, posture, muscle perfomance, respiration, and motor function. PTs also determine the patient's ability to be independent and be able to thrive in the community or workplace after injury or illness. After such an assessment, PTs develop treatment plans describing a treatment strategy, its purpose, and its anticpated outcome. Treament often includes exercise, electrical stimulation, and the implementation of assistive and adaptive devices (e.g. crutches, wheelchairs, and prostheses). PTs continue to document and evaluate the patient's progress by conducting periodic exams and modifying treatments when necessary. PTs also consult with a variety of other health professionals, such as physicians, dentists, nurses, educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists, in an effort to provide the best possible treatment for the patient. Although PTs treat a wide range of ailments, they can also specialize in areas such as pediatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, geriatrics, neurology, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy. Since PTs are experts in movement and function of the human body, they are not limited to treating people suffering from illness or injury. PTs aim also to prevent injury and loss of movement, and thus can working as consultants in industrial settings or in fitness centers.

Is There a Need for Physical Therapists? Yes!! From an athlete with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) to the victim of a near-fatal car accident, physical therapists play an important role in helping patients function after experiencing bodily trauma. The demand for PTs should continue to increase as the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function needing therapy services increases. In addition, as advancements in medicine and technology continue to increase the percentage of survivors of traumatic accidents, the need for PTs will grow.

What Are The Requirements for Entry into a Physical Therapist program? The requirements for entry into physical therapist programs are essentially the same as for entry into medical or dental school--that is, the student must complete general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. A baccalaureate degree is highly recommended. Most also require one or two courses in psychology, statistics, and computer science to name a few. For additional comments regarding general requirements you should refer to the previous documents in this Information series, particularly Info5: Requirements for Entry Into Medical or Dental School. The pre-physical therapy college curriculum should also include a strong liberal arts and general education background (i.e. Biolgy, Chemistry-Premed, and Psych-Premed majors at XU). In addition, most schools require students to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Many PT programs require extensive hours of voluneer or work experience in the physical therapy department of a hospital or clinic.

What Is the Curriculum in a Physical Therapist program? PT schools across the U.S. currently offer Master of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.) and/or Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) degrees. Depending on the program and the school, PT education can last from 2-4 years. The master's program starts with the basic science courses and specialized science courses such as biomechanics, neruoanatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of diseases, examination techniques, and therapeutic procedures. In addition to classroom and laboratory instruction, PT students received supervised clinical experience in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.

Where To Obtain Additional Information about Physical Therapy

• About the general requirements/application process: Attend Overview Meeting in September of Junior Year (look for signs announcing the date, time, and place when you return to XU each fall) and check bulletin boards in Premed Office or visit the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) website at www.apta.org for more information about physical therapy.
• About the GRE the admissions test required by most Physical Therapy programs: Graduate Record Examination, P. O. Box 6000, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, (609)771-7670 or visit www.gre.org for more information.
• About the application process: Students apply directly to Physical Therapy programs that they are interested in.
• About requirements for individual schools: Visit www.apta.org