Elizabeth Said:

What advantages does intermodal expressive therapies have in comparison to music therapy, art therapy, etc?

We Answered:

intermodal? music therapy calms people by music, art you express your feelings in the form of art, and intermodal expressive sounds like your express your feelings by talking.

Bernard Said:

I want to become an art therapist would.....?

We Answered:

I'm also thinking about pursuing art therapy!!!!!! my school doesn't have an art therapy major but i talked to someone there and they said that if I want to go on to graduate school to study art therapy it would be best to major in art and minor in psych. You should talk to someone at that school to see what they say is the best and what the requirements are for the graduate school in the art therapy field. I've also done a little looking at schools that do have an art therapy major and most of the classes for the major are art and few are psych related.

Esther Said:

Question about the Application Process to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.?

We Answered:

I am not so sure getting into one will be a long shot. Into a prestigious one - probably not - but into a program? - I suspect you will. People have been known to get into MD programs with your type of stats and that is considered more difficult than physio. Personally I would hunt around a bit and find some programs, then start a dialogue with the schools now. Here are 2 to start with:
http://www.regis.edu/rh.asp?page=study.d…
http://www.clarkson.edu/pt/dpt/admission…

Thanks
Bill

Nancy Said:

What schools offer a current physical therapist assistant an education to transition to a physical therapist?

We Answered:

The only two official "bridge programs" are Findlay in OH and Loma Linda in CA. However, the "transition" is not as "bridging" as it sounds. Both programs have stipulations that go beyond your PTA degree required for entrance. I think both of them do require that you complete the normal prerequisites as are required for other PT programs and completion of a BS. If you did not get these classes in your BS, you will be required to take these classes before you apply to the program. Furthermore, most schools require that you've taken the prereqs. within the last 5 years.

Also, I don't think that there are any fewer classes as compared to a traditional PT program, it's just that the bridge programs allow one to do it on a part time basis.

I think this is why most PTAs I know who've made the transition did it simply in a traditional PT program.

...good luck to you.

Donald Said:

I want to get my masters but not sure if thats possible?

We Answered:

IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY.

Samantha Said:

How much do Physical Therapy ASSISTANTS make in your area?

We Answered:

PTAs in our area earn around $40,000. And PTs don't have PhD's, they have DPT (such as nurses can have a DPN). However, your plan is not as easy as it sounds.

If you go to PTA school first, realize that the prerequisites are not of the same caliber as those required for PT school. So, you'll likely need to complete these: usually a year each of general bio, chem, physics as well as various psych, calc, trig, stats and anatomy and physiology courses. If you had some of these in nursing school, you're better off...but if it's been more than 5 years, you'll need to retake them.

If you already have a BSN, you've already met the degree requirements and would only need to take the prerequisites, do your observation hours and take the GRE before applying to PT school.

However, if you have only an AAS in nursing or a nursing student, you are going to find that you are in for a lot more work. Even after becoming a PTA, you'd have to take all your general education, prereqs and degree requirements. This is especially because very little in an AAS that actually transfers to a BS degree. Furthermore, only a handful of courses in the PTA program transfer to a PT program.

What this all means is that if you already do not have a BS degree, and eventually plan to become a PT, if you go to PTA school you are looking at about 9 years of education...at least with a cost of about $12,000. You might be able to work as a PTA, but consider that if you have to go back and finish a BS degree, you'll likely not be able to work full time (even if you only went to school part time, your time would run out on your prerequisites)...so consider you may only be earning $20,000 a year working part time. Four years later, you might be ready to apply to grad school, but you've really only added $80,000 to your income...minus about $40,000 if you are working on your degree at a state school...Now imagine that you will most likely need to QUIT your PTA job when you start the PT program (there are only a handful of PT programs that are part time) and add an additional $35-60,000 to your debt. By my rough estimates, you'll be in $10-15,000 of debt 9 years from now (on the low end...and this doesn't even take into account living expenses)

In contrast, if you can make the financial committment to going to school full time NOW for the next 6-7 years ($50-200,000...depending on state/community college vs. private schools in any combination), you can be starting a salary of about $60-65,000 (and likely more by the time you graduate) and be earning about $120,000 more in the two years you save by not stopping at PTA school first. Whereas, in this case in 9 years, you have been working for two years and could be as much as $70,000 in the black (or some debt if you go to really expensive private schools for 7 years).

So, if you REALLY want to be PT, I implore you just bite the bullet and go for the whole degree all at once, without the pit stop.