Before you apply, physical therapy schools will expect that you have explored the profession through observing in a PT environment. Clinical observation will help you decide if a career in physical therapy is the right fit for you. You can contact outpatient physical therapy clinics, hospitals, sports and fitness centers, and assisted living facilities to set up shadowing opportunities. For more suggestions, consult the shadowing page.
Job shadowing is a requirement for admission to most physical therapy programs. They require applicants to acquire a minimum number of observation hours under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Consult the PTCAS directory page for observation requirements by school. Some programs prefer shadowing to be performed in two different physical locations with a variety of patient types in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Inpatient settings: Facility generally admits patients overnight. Outpatient settings: Facility has no overnight patients.
You can also consider non-clinical settings where you attend a PT session as a patient or with a family member, are Special Olympics volunteer, or participate in a HOSA: Future Health Professionals PT competitive event.