Pre-Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a health profession that provides services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. Physical therapists restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health to patients of all ages. They practice in hospitals, private offices, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, schools, fitness centers and sports training facilities.

The pre-physical therapy program at Missouri Southern prepares students for admission to a physical therapy school accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association. Pre-physical therapy students will complete a bachelor’s degree in biology prior to admission into a master or doctoral program of physical therapy. Preparation for entrance into a physical therapy education program includes courses in anatomy, physiology, psychology, physics, chemistry, statistics, and humanities. Pre-physical therapy students will meet these pre-professional school requirements as they complete the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Missouri Southern. The Biology Department also offers students the opportunity to gain clinical work experience with a practicing physical therapist through internships.

Physical therapy programs differ in their pre-professional course requirements so students should consult with their academic advisor for specific school requirements. By their junior year at Missouri Southern, pre-physical therapy students will want to check the admissions requirements for the physical therapy programs to which they wish to apply. For a list of accredited physical therapy programs and their admissions requirements, go to: http://www.apta.org/Education/accreditation/Dir_Acc_PT_ED_Prog.

For more information about the pre-physical therapy program at Missouri Southern, contact one of the Biology Department’s pre-physical therapy advisors: Dr. Karen Plucinski, Dr. William Black, and Mr. Robert Heth.

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