How to Become a Physical Therapist.

Hunter S, Whitlow L. Clemson, SC 29633, Skip Hunter Enterprises Inc, 1995, paperback, 115 pp, $19.95.

This self-published book was written for prospective physical therapy students as a guide to the application process for physical therapy programs. The authors also propose that the information provided will help increase a student's chance at being selected into a physical therapy program. Although the book contains some accurate and helpful information, it also contains errors in fact, uses dated and questionable references, and contains incorrect interpretations of some reference material.

The book begins with a description of the physical therapy profession that contains a brief, essentially accurate history of physical therapy; a dated definition of physical therapy (1977 reference cited); a discussion of the American Physical Therapy Association; and a description of physical therapy practitioners. One chapter discusses the importance of grades and the typical prerequisites needed to enter a physical therapy education program. The authors make many assumptions as to the best strategies for getting accepted into a physical therapy program. Although some suggestions have merit (eg, determine which grades schools emphasize before deciding to apply), other suggestions have little basis in fact (eg, the more prestigious the applicant's undergraduate institution, the greater the chances of being accepted to a physical therapy program).

Chapter 3, "Applying to Physical Therapy School," discusses types of physical therapy programs, accreditation, licensure, problem-based learning, application fees, volunteer experience, references, basic terminology, written essays, interviews, standardized testing, and suggested resources to enhance the applicant's knowledge of physical therapy. Again, although this chapter contains good information and suggestions, some of the information contains errors. For example, the authors suggest that the program secretary plays the most important role in the admissions process. Although the secretarial staff in some programs oversee the admissions process, many do not. Furthermore, although secretarial staff may oversee the process, they do not typically make admissions decisions.

Chapter 4, "The Average Applicant," presents the data from the 1994 applicant report. Chapter 5, "Conversations with Admissions Officers," contains the responses to a series of predetermined questions of four faculty members who oversee the admissions process/committee in their respective institutions. This information was sought from a cross section of institutions representing public and private schools, large and small schools, and schools from representative regions of the United States. Although the information is specific to each institution, it offers insight into what factors or characteristics physical therapy programs look for in applicants, emphasize in their admissions process, and view as negative factors in the application or academic history.

Chapters 6 and 7 cover what to do if you are accepted or not accepted. Chapter 6 contains general information on typical physical therapy courses, program costs, and financial aid. The suggestions contained in Chapter 7 offer, in most cases, reasonable courses of action that would help improve one's chances of gaining acceptance into a physical therapy program upon reapplication. Chapter 8, "Physical Therapy [sic] Assistants," contains information about and requirements for practice as a physical therapist assistant. The authors suggest applying to such programs as an alternative to practicing as a physical therapist and as an alternative pathway to admission to a physical therapy program. Chapter 9 lists all accredited physical therapy programs at the time of publication. The authors conclude with what they call an "epilogue." This short section offers encouragement, emphasizing hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to one's goal.

This book does provide some pertinent and current information that would assist a prospective physical therapy student through the application process. Unfortunately, the book also contains inaccurate information and misinformation that could frustrate the prospective student who has purchased this book. The book has been poorly edited and contains many typographical, spelling, grammatical, and format errors. References are not appropriately cited within the textual material, author names in references listed are misspelled, agreement of noun and pronoun is violated with regularity, and the authors write almost exclusively in the passive voice.

I cannot recommend this book as a resource for prospective physical therapy students.

Susan A Bemis, EdD, PT

Chatham College

Pittsburgh, Pa

Dr Bemis is a Professor at Chatham College who specializes in industrial physical therapy. She teaches a varlety of courses, including those on systems dysfunction.