NYMC > School of Health Sciences and Practice (SHSP) > Admissions & Financial Aid > Admission Requirements > Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) Admission Requirements

Because physical therapy is a clinical profession, entry to it is highly regulated - and because we want to ensure your ability to enter into successful practice upon graduation, there are a number of courses and other requirements that must be completed prior to your admission.

Specific requirements for admission to the program are:

• Bachelor’s Degree: You must have a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree from an accredited college;
• Balanced Academic Background: Your academic record should include a balance of course work in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, including competency in English writing;
• Grade Point Average (G.P.A.): Admission is very competitive. Most of our successful applicants have a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.5.
• Prerequisite Courses: These prerequisite courses must be completed prior to initial enrollment.
• Department of Physical Therapy Essential Functions: these D.P.T. essential function criteria must be met for students to be accepted and complete our program.

Students are also expected to be computer literate before entering the program. Several of the courses assume that the student is proficient in the following areas: general computer skills, word-processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and Internet. Remedial instruction in computer literacy is available.

The Intangibles
In addition to excellent grades, our admissions committee is looking for evidence of the following:

• motivation
• maturity
• stability              
• sound judgment
• a sense of responsibility
• good moral character

We also look for:

• cognitive, motor and organizational skills
• sensory perception
• ability to synthesize and apply knowledge

Essentially, our faculty wants to ensure that our students possess the attributes essential to becoming a caring and effective physical therapist.  That’s what it’s all about.

International Students
International students must complete several additional requirements.

Accepted Applicants
In order to guarantee a place in the class, an accepted applicant must submit the following:

• a non-refundable $500 deposit must be sent to the School of Health Sciences Admissions Office
• the health packet, which is required by New York Medical College, must be sent to the NYMC Health Services Office

Both the deposit and the health forms must be submitted at the time of acceptance of an offer of admission. The deposit is applied to the first-year tuition.

Accepted students are also subject to a criminal background check.

Prerequisite Courses for Physical Therapy

The following prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of B or better within 10 years of the application deadline date. (Exceptions to the 10-year limit may be made for individuals who work in a health field.)  Prerequisite courses, in which a laboratory component is required, must be taken as a hands-on, in-class course:

• One course in biology with laboratory
• Two courses in anatomy and physiology. These may be:
  • one course in anatomy and a second course in physiology, or
  • a two-semester sequence in anatomy and physiology as a combined course.
    (In either case, each course must include a laboratory.)
• Two courses in chemistry, with laboratories
• Two courses in physics, with laboratories
• One semester of general or introductory psychology
• A second course in psychology (suggested courses include abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, physiological psychology, or neuroscience)
• One course in mathematics
• One course in statistics

Students are also expected to be computer literate before entering the program. Several of the courses assume that the student is proficient in the following areas: general computer skills, word-processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and Internet. Remedial instruction in computer literacy is available.