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Physical Therapy

Physical therapists are involved with health promotion, prevention of physical disabilities, and rehabilitation of persons who are disabled by pain, disease, or injury. They evaluate the needs of patients and use physical therapeutic agents such as heat, cold, light, sound, electrical stimulation, and exercise rather than medicines, surgery, or radiation. They work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, and academic institutions.

The professional training program for physical therapists requires two to three years. Students planning a career in physical therapy earn a bachelor's degree at Iowa State before entering a professional school to earn clinical doctoral degree. University of Iowa, St. Ambrose University, and Des Moines University offer a DPT programs in Iowa. The bachelor's degree from ISU may be earned in any area, provided that the physical therapy prerequisites are completed.

Courses required for admission to most physical therapy schools include the following:

• Biology (BIOL 211, 211L; 212, 212L)
• English (ENGL 104, 105)
• Human physiology and anatomy (BIOL 255, 255L; 256, 256L—biological science majors may prefer to fulfill this requirement by taking BIOL 335 & 351)
• Chemistry with laboratory (CHEM 163, 163L; 164, 164L; some schools require additional chemistry courses)
• Mathematics (MATH 142 at minimum; calculus is required by a few programs)
• Physics with laboratory (PHYS 111, 112 or PHYS 221, 222)
• Psychology (6-9 credits often required, abnormal psychology specified by certain programs)
• Statistics (STAT 104 or 101)

Professional schools may change their prerequisites. Students are responsible for maintaining direct contact with specific professional schools for current prerequisite guidelines.

Competition for admission to physical therapy schools is intense. Selection is based upon the science and cumulative grade point averages, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, interview, clinical experience and observation, recommendations, and extracurricular activities.

Preference is given to state residents by public institutions. Further information about the career and professional schools is available from the Prephysical Therapy Club and the coordinator for the preprofessional health programs in 102 Carrie Chapman Catt Hall, phone (515) 294-4831. Visit the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) World Wide Web Site at www.apta.org for news about the PT profession and a full directory of PT programs.