If you're looking to get into the field of physical therapy, holding a doctorate is becoming increasingly important. It is soon expected that every professional physical therapist will be a doctor, and the degree is necessary in today's competitive job market.
In order to go on to a graduate school program you must first have a bachelor's degree from a college or university. The most useful area of study for getting into physical therapy is biology, though other sciences or mathematics are helpful too. Choosing an undergraduate school that offers field work or internship opportunities in physical therapy is also a good way to get experience and to get into a good graduate school.
Once you have a bachelor's degree you can begin applying to graduate schools for physical therapy doctorate programs. The majority of schools require a bachelor's degree in a related field and the general GRE scores. Some more competitive schools may also request scores from a GRE subject test, such as the biology test. Most doctorate programs take between 3-4 years. There also also prerequisites for many programs that must be taken either in undergrad or in graduate work, including courses like psychology, physics, and anatomy.
Once you are accepted into a doctoral program, you will have to take a combination of classes and field work. Classes would include foundational science courses, clinically based courses specific to physical therapy work, and behavioral sciences such as psychology. Field work could be done at the school or in a nearby hospital, and will be monitored and supervised. At many schools you may also have to develop an independent study and do a research project on a related topic of your choosing.
After you receive your doctorate keep in mind that you also have to pass a licensing exam in the state that you want to practice in.
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