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Should You Study Before Physical Therapy School Begins?

You were accepted into your program because the faculty believes that you will be successful in the program. I understand any nerves that you have because we’ve all been there. Nobody wants to be that student that fails in the very first semester. Just remember that you will have plenty of help and resources when you begin school.

It’s hard to study for PT school before it starts, mostly because you don’t know what you’ll be learning first and you have no idea what the professors want you to know. If you start studying, its likely that you’ll study the wrong things, or you’ll forget everything by the time you start school.

Instead of studying, I recommend that you have as much fun as possible. Go on vacations, spend time with family and friends, read books, save some money, decorate your bedroom, or exercise. You probably won’t have as much free time after PT school begins, so enjoy it now!


If you want to begin studying anyways…

You could buy an anatomy book and look over basic parts of each bone and where the muscles are in relationship to each other. Almost every PT school begins with anatomy, so it can’t hurt to review the basics. I knew that I wanted to buy a Netter’s book before I started school because the photos are beautiful, and I know that it would be helpful at any school. If you’re not sure which book to buy, you can contact upperclassmen or your anatomy professor to get your future booklist.

Don’t try to study specific muscle attachments. Each professor will teach you a little differently, so it’s better to not learn them incorrectly. Learning generally where muscles attach or where blood vessels are located would be helpful, though.

As for physiology, you can watch KhanAcademy videos to get a refresher. They have awesome videos, and I actually watched them often during several different courses.

Either way, don’t worry about studying too much. Light studying might not hurt, but it probably won’t help you too much.


Did you study before PT school? Why or why not? Share your story below!

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2 Comments

  1. Angela

    You are such a cool person! I was just browsing online to find some examples so I can continue with my UMES PT application essay and accidentally came across your blog! UMES is one of my favorate schools and I am glad you gave me so much advices and insights to the school! My name is Angela, it’s a pleasure to meet you!