Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration

The physical therapist is a health care practitioner who examines, designs, and implements physical therapy interventions for persons of all ages in order to improve or maintain endurance, muscle strength and mobility, and to relieve pain and prevent disability due to disease, injury, loss of a body part, or birth defects. The therapist helps the individual prevent problems and overcome disabilities through the use of exercise, education, assistive devices, mobilization, water, cold, electricity, ultrasound, and massage. Psychological, sociological, and economic factors must be considered while treating an individual.

Employment opportunities include hospitals, private practices, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, industry, research centers, health maintenance organizations, sports medicine centers, nursing homes, community centers, wellness centers, outpatient clinics, and school settings. The physical therapy profession offers opportunities for advancement in the areas of education, clinical specialization, management, consultation, and research.

Physical Therapy school is now a doctoral program so a student must first earn a bachelors degree at a four-year university before applying to a Physical Therapy program (the only one in the state of Mississippi is in Jackson, MS at UMMC) and take certain pre-requisite courses (General Chemistry I and II with labs, General Physics I and II, Stats, and one advanced biology course). Students must also take the GRE exam and have a minimum of 40 hours of observation.

There are two degrees a student could choose: Biological Science or Clinical Exercise Physiology that is earned through the Kinesiology Department. Both offer a pathway to PT school but the curriculum is very different. In choosing which degree to pursue, look at the courses to figure out which ones interest you the most.

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