Pre-Physical Therapy Timeline

**Disclaimer: This is a general overview of the Pre-PT timeline which is mostly drawn from UA’s admission guide and is also based on my personal experience. Take the subjective points with a grain of salt; do what works best for you. Pursue your passions as you complete the prerequisite work. Every applicant to PT school will have a unique story**

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FRESHMAN YEAR

Fall and Spring Semesters

Pre-PT Advisor Activities

• Schedule an appointment with your advisor (Nieka Morgan for Kinesiology students; other majors will visit a pre-health advisor in addition to the advisor specific to their major)
• Introduce yourself and finalize your fall classes
• Discuss how to sequence your classes moving forward

Campus Activities

• Attend Get On Board Day in the fall and spring or simply search organizations on the Source website. Look for the Pre-PT Society booth at GOBD and get involved in any other organizations that may interest you!
• If you are considering other pre-health careers (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-ot, etc.), I encourage you to shadow all fields, do online research, attend other pre-health organizational meetings (subscribe to email and follow their social media), and speak with your advisor and/or family friends within the healthcare field. The earlier you know what you want to do, the better.
• Find at least one organization through the Source where you can begin volunteering regularly (Project Health, Al’s Pals, Bama Tutors for Service, campus ministries, Beat Auburn Beat Hunger, Good Samaritan Clinic, Honors College, etc.)
• Begin shadowing a physical therapist as early as possible. This will not only help you confirm your interest in pursuing this career, but will help you obtain necessary shadowing hours early. The more hours in varied PT settings, the better. If you are enrolled in KIN 488, you will be required to complete 9 or 12 credit hours of shadowing, and each credit hour is 30 actual hours (so that’s a total of 360 hours!). Make sure to log these hours and the PT contact information in a journal for easy access during application season. 
• Start forming connections with other pre-pt students, faculty members, and mentors on campus. This will be helpful when choosing which classes to take and for letters of recommendation.

Academic Responsibilities

• Begin taking the core 4 science sequences required for PT school. Most pre-pt students take one core science per semester since these are the most rigorous courses you will need to take. The order for all four years is usually Biology freshman year, Anatomy sophomore year, Chemistry junior year, and then Physics for senior year, but you can ultimately decide on the order. For instance, I started out with chemistry my first semester freshman year and then  doubled up on sciences the next year  so that I would be able to complete all of my core sciences prior to applying to PT school. This was a personal preference, however, since completing all sciences before senior year is not required; do what you know works best for you. 
• Decide on your major. Because you have the freedom to major in whatever you desire as a Pre-PT student, advisors encourage you to major in what is most interesting to you. However, because most Pre-PT students major in Exercise Science, the Kinesiology advisors have more experience with Pre-PT students than any other pre-health advisors. If you are an English or Finance major, for instance, advisors for these majors may have a difficult time directing you on your Pre-PT prerequisites. This is why getting plugged into the Pre-PT Society early on can be an extremely useful resource. 
• Go to your professor’s office hours. Professors are much more likely to be flexible with you later on with grades if the professor sees you in class regularly and sees you at office hours. Attend these hours to ask specific questions soon after they arise (may come to mind while doing homework or watching lectures). You don’t want to wait until it’s the last minute before the test or, even worse, after the test. If you perform well in the class (and the professor actually knows who you are), consider meeting with that professor about a letter of recommendation
• Consider getting involved in undergraduate research by reaching out to a professor (usually many opportunities among Kinesiology professors).

Summer Semester

• How a Pre-PT student chooses to spend his/her summer is entirely up to the student. However, I encourage you to use this time wisely. If you are still not sure on which pre-health career to pursue, shadow multiple health care workers in a variety of settings. Remember to document the observation hours and the contact information for future reference. If you did not perform well in a class or switched majors and feel behind, I encourage you to retake the class or take the coursework needed to get you back on track. This can be done either through UA or a community college, though graduate schools often prefer that you complete the more rigorous coursework through your undergraduate university. Keep in mind that graduate schools like to see that a student is able to balance a full semester of classes with other activities during the school year. If you are certain of your career path, have been performing well in classes, and do not feel behind to graduate, I encourage you to do something you love, such as working a summer camp,  volunteering in your community, or getting  involved in research. PT schools like to see a diversity of experience.

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SOPHOMORE YEAR

Overall: keep working on the things you established freshman year. Prioritize good grades. Continue the volunteer work that is meaningful to you. Shadow in a new PT setting (outpatient, inpatient, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and nursing homes in the Tuscaloosa area). Run for officer positions and pursue other leadership roles.

Fall and Spring Semesters

Pre-PT Advisor Activities

• Check in with your pre-pt advising office; attend Pre-PT Society meetings, and make sure you are receiving information and updates, especially on your Crimson email
• Begin to layout your classes for your remaining 3 years at the University of Alabama using DegreeWorks planner too

Work and Activity Experiences

• Pursue or continue meaningful medically related activities, including volunteer roles, paid work, research positions, and/or leadership opportunities in health organizations

Academic Responsibilities

• Continue with next sequence of courses
• Begin to research the PT schools you are interested in attending following your time at UA. Make sure you are on track to complete their required coursework. Assess your competitiveness by reviewing the recent entering class’s average GPA and GRE scores. 
• Begin thinking about when you will take the GRE and how you will prepare for this exam.

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JUNIOR YEAR

Summer Semester

• Retake the GRE if needed. 
• Continue obtaining observation hours. You will need all of your hours verified by the PT you shadowed for the PTCAS (PT school application), so set up your PTCAS early on in the summer. It sometimes takes a while for people to get back to you.
• Reach out to the Physical Therapists and professors you would like to write you letters of recommendation early on in the summer if not the spring semester of junior year. 
• Complete your PTCAS application. I highly recommend that you complete this application (personal information, academic information, supporting information, and specific program materials) prior to the fall semester of your senior year. The essays can be time-consuming, and you want them to be reviewed by several professional eyes before submitting them. Furthermore, filling out the application while taking classes during the fall can become stressful. Your goal should be to complete the program’s application at least 1 month prior to their deadline.

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SENIOR YEAR

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Information provided by UA’s Pre-Physical Therapy Society. If you have further questions feel free to reach out to their email: preptsocietyua2@gmail.com