Physical Therapists (PT) assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury. PTs often teach patients to prevent or manage their own condition to achieve long-term health benefits and healthy active lifestyles. PTs provide care for people in a variety of settings including:
- Hospitals
- Home Health Agencies
- Private Practices
- Federal and State Government
- Nursing Homes
- Outpatient Clinics
- Sports and Fitness Facilities
- Schools
- Work Settings
Resources
Professional Organizations:
Sources for Knowledge of the Field:
- APTA You Can Be Me
- PT Journal: Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association
- APTA PT in Motion
- APTA Podcasts
Requirements and Involvement
Learn more about pre-requisite course requirements, advanced placement credit options, extracurricular opportunities, and more!
Application Process
Are you prepared to enter the application process? The review process includes many factors involving academics, career exploration and clinical experience, life experience, aptitude tests, letters of evaluation, personal statements, and more.
- Application Process for Physical Therapy
- PTCAS
- Entrance Exam
- Selecting Schools
- Letters of Recommendation (LORs)
- Personal Statement
- Interview Preparation
- UVA Statistics for Physical Therapy School Applicants
Application Timeline
Find out key deadlines for school applications and view a sample application timeline to keep you on track.