Pre-Physical Therapy
The Pre-Physical Therapy program is a one of HBU’s Health Professions Programs.
The physical therapist is a member of the health-care team whose primary responsibility is to test, evaluate, and treat patients with acute or prolonged movement dysfunction. Treatments are planned and implemented to restore normal health and function to the body. This is accomplished through patient and family education, a planned program of exercise, and the use of a variety of physical agents such as heat, cold, light, water, or electricity. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties certifies qualified physical therapists in seven areas: pediatrics, neurology, orthopedics, sports physical therapy, cardiopulmonary, clinical electrophysiology, and geriatrics.
Students planning on careers in physical therapy should be aware that transfer to a professional program is not automatic. Competition is keen among applicants and schools prefer those who have a proven interest in the field. Volunteer experience in the field is required and will strengthen a student’s interpersonal skills as well as increase his understanding of career requirements. Students must receive a four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited university and then enroll in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Physical therapists are licensed by the state in which they practice. Texas requires that physical therapists pass a national exam administered by the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) website,
www.apta.org , lists ten accredited physical therapy programs in Texas, nine that offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and one that offers the Master of Physical Therapy degree (MPT).
Schools offering the DPT are
Angelo State University in San Angelo,
Texas State University in San Marcos,
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center with three campuses, Lubbock, Odessa, and Amarillo,
Texas Woman’s University with two campuses, Dallas and Houston,
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio,
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston,
Hardin-Simmons University,
US Army-Baylor University and
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
The University of Texas at El Paso offers the MPT degree.
Please be aware that pre-physical therapy is
not a major. You should select a major based on your area of interest, but science majors are recommended in order to satisfy the prerequisite courses while you pursue your HBU degree. Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Biology or Chemistry majors are especially compatible with the above designated courses and are recommended by the Health Professions Office. The following is a list of courses most often required:
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Biology (BIOL 2353, 2478, 2404, 3464, 3454, 2281)
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General Chemistry (CHEM 2415, 2416)
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Physics (PHYS 2413, 2423)
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Statistics (PSYC 2301)
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Math (MATH 1323, 1313, 1434, 2434) hours vary
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Psychology (PSYC 1313, 3313, 2364) hours vary
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Sociology (SOCI 1313) varies by school
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Oral Communication (COMM 1313), varies by school
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Medical Terminology (BIOL 2281) varies by school
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English (ENGL 1313, 1323) varies by school
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Technical Writing (WRIT 3345) varies by school
Acceptance into PT schools is highly competitive. A GPA of at least 3.5 and GRE (Graduate Record Exam) score of at least 1000 are recommended. Students nearing completion of requirements should check with the profession school as requirements change frequently.