Physical therapy is usually carried out by a physical therapist, who maintains and restores health through physical examination and intervention. They help in health promotion, balancing problems, patient strength, and flexibility. In this article, we will see about ‘Is It Possible To Get Into A Physical Therapy School With A 2.5 GPA?’.
Is It Possible To Get Into A Physical Therapy School With A 2.5 GPA?
How can I be a physical therapist with a 2.5 GPA?
The good news is that you can become a professional, qualified physical therapist from a reputed physical therapy school with a 2.5 GPA. All that is required of you is to follow the following process:
To become a professional physical therapist with a 2.5 GPA you must earn a physical therapy degree in physical therapy education and you will have to pass the state license examination. The following are the educational step-to-step actions to be taken to become a professional physical therapist.
- Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree in any field related to physical therapy: You will need to get a bachelor’s degree in health science, sport, or a closely related field. Some programs may require some requirements such as classes in certain subjects like physics, kinesiology, anatomy, chemistry, and some other related subjects. This process will lead us to the second step.
- Step 2: Complete a doctor of physical therapy degree (DPT): This step two is what will prepare you for how to work in the field of physical therapy. This process will require more practice. The course will last for two years and the second year will strictly be practical.
- Step 3: You must ensure that you pass the National physical therapy examination:This step requires you to pass the NPT examination which will be given by the state boards of physical therapists. The examination consists of multiple questions that are arranged in a specific way. This examination is offered at least four times a year in a specific month that is being chosen. It is this step that will lead to obtaining a license.
- Step 4: Obtain a license to practice: After you pass the National physical therapy examination, you will be allowed to gain a license but before this license can be granted, you will need to go through some background checks and training compliances on some other requirements based on the requirements of your state.
PS: physical therapists must ensure that they meet the continuing education requirements every two years in most states.
- Step 5: Try Completing a residency program (This step is optional): Once you have been given the license, that’s all you need to become a physical therapist, then you can make your own decision if you want to complete your residency program which involves training in a clinic. Residency programs also help in finding your area of expertise and if you don’t want to you can start looking for a job or you can start up on your own.
- Step 6: Earn a board certificate (optional): The physical board therapist specializes in 10 areas including cardiovascular, pulmonary, clinical electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, and sports. To become board certified therapist, you have to pass a particular exam based on the speciality you want to focus on.
What are the other things a physical therapist does?
● Reviews patient medical history from doctors
● observing the diagnosed patient movement
● Records patient improvement and progress
● Educates patients and family or guardians about what the patient is diagnosed with and what to expect, etc.
How much does a physical therapist earn?
- The majority of physical therapist fees are based on positions, years of experience, degree of education, geographic location, and practical experience. The median earning of a physical therapist is $85,000 annually. It has been confirmed that the physical unemployment rate is lower across the country.
- Based on research, physical therapists have been able to earn accordingly in each stage such as:
The earnings for a physical therapist at the lower entry-level start from $60,390 annually, while that of an assistant therapist is usually around $33,780 annually.
An entry-level physical therapist with less than a year of experience should expect an average of $68,033 annually. An early physical therapist with 1-4 years of experience should expect an average of $71,424 annually.
An averagely experienced physical therapist with 4-9 years of experience should expect an average of $78,679.
- An expert physical therapist with 10-19 years earns nothing less than $84,624 annually.
In the later time of their career, they earn an average of $88,556
In conclusion, you can get into a physical therapy school with a 2.5 GPA if only you follow the above requirements. As you can see above, physical therapy is one of the main medical treatments that we need in our day-to-day activities as it helps a lot. A physical therapist can also be called a lifesaver because they have saved the lives of both young and old. Looking for more info?
Here are some FAQs on this subject:
1. Can I become a physical therapist without a science degree?
Answer: The answer to the above question is No, you can’t be a physical therapist without a science degree because a science degree is one major step you need to undergo before you can be a professional physical therapist.
2. Do I need a bachelor’s degree before getting admission into the DPT program?
Answer: You need a bachelor’s degree before you can be admitted into the DPT program.
3. If I get accepted into physical therapy school, is it possible for me to major in sports, medicine, pediatrics, and geriatrics?
Answer: The physical therapist school is to prepare you as a generalist. You will know well enough about all the areas before getting to choose your area of expertise if you wish.
4. What area is the best for specialization?
Answer: There is no best area for specialization. Allow yourself to dabble in a variety of interests in your early college days, so when you find something you enjoy doing you can turn it into your area of expertise.
