Physical Therapist (PT)

• Students should take a college preparatory curriculum.
• High School students should study biology, anatomy & physiology, math and possibly statistics, psychology, chemistry, physics, health, and social sciences.
• Shadowing and/or volunteering in the field are recommended.

• The American Physical Therapist Association (APTA) plans by 2020 the majority of practicing physical therapists will possess a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Schools in Wisconsin are making the transition to a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT). For instance, the last Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from UW-LaCrosse was in 2006.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in any major, completing the prerequisite courses, is required for application for admittance into a Doctorate PT program.
• At University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, Pre-Physical Therapy is one option of study that students may declare. Students will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science.
• Some schools offer both the undergraduate and Doctorate program.
• At Carroll College the entry-level Physical Therapy Doctorate Program consists of a 6-year course of study divided into two phases: Pre-Professional Physical Therapy for 3 years and Professional Physical Therapy for 3 years. Students with a Bachelor’s degree from another university can enter the Doctorate PT program but will spend an additional 3 years, for a total of 7 years.
• UW-LaCrosse has a Pre-Physical Therapy major that includes prerequisite courses and two 20-hour clinical work experiences.
• UW-LaCrosse’s Doctorate program (DPT) takes 9 semesters (34 months) completing along with course work, 5 clinical internships beginning the second semester.
• UW-LaCrosse currently (2015) requires prior to applying from any applicant not taking their undergraduate at LaCrosse to complete two 20-hour clinical work experiences where students can shadow a licensed physical therapist in two different health care settings.
• UW-Madison has a 3-year Doctorate in Physical Therapy program that one applies to after earning a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college and meeting the prerequisite courses. Their program has two 9-week and one 12-week clinical internship.
• Physical Therapy curriculum courses include kinesiology/biomechanics, exercise physiology, pathology, statistics, neuroanatomy, studies in disease, and research and rehabilitative procedures, Musculoskeletal Dysfunction: Diagnosis & Management trigonometry, advanced writing, and psychology.
• Supervised clinical experience is a large part of physical therapy educational programs.
• Upon completion of their degree from an accredited program, students must pass an examination, the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).

Educational Institutions

Carroll University
Concordia University
Marquette University
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

Pre-Professional Programs

Beloit College
Carroll University
Carthage College
Lawrence University
Marian University
Northland College
Ripon College
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
University of Wisconsin – Green Bay
University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse
University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
University of Wisconsin – Oskhosh
University of Wisconsin – Platteville
University of Wisconsin – River Falls
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin – Stout
University of Wisconsin – Superior
University of Wisconsin – Waukesha
University of Wisconsin – Whitewater
Viterbo College
Wisconsin Lutheran College

Hospitals with Associated Educational Programs

Gundersen Medical Foundation, La Crosse

• Because entry into physical therapy programs is competitive, it is recommended that students focus on obtaining exceptional grades in high school and college as well as performing some volunteer work in the field.
• One must graduate from an accredited physical therapy program, pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and be licensed in his/her given state.
• Although there is no specific major required for entrance into a physical therapy program, the undergraduate major often is biology, physical education or self-designed.
• There are prerequisites for Physical Therapy programs. Students are advised to check the individual requirements of the schools to which they plan to apply to ensure that all prerequisites can be obtained in a timely manner. The undergraduate prerequisites usually include biology, human anatomy & physiology, chemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, and statistics.

American Physical Therapy Association
1111 N. Fairfax St.
Alexandria, VA, 22314-1488
703/684-2782 or 800/999-2782
www.apta.org

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA, 22314-1488
703/706-3245
www.capteonline.org/

Sports Physical Therapy Section
PO Box 431
Zionsville, IN, 46077-0431
877/732-5009
www.spts.org/

Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association
3510 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI, 53704
608/221-9191 or 866/367-6978
www.wpta.org