Physical therapy is a profession dealing with the development and administration of programs of care to restore motor function, relieve pain, and prevent disability in individuals whose abilities are threatened by disease, injury, loss of a body part, or conditions existing at birth. A licensed physical therapist requires a doctoral degree (DPT, Doctor of Physical Therapy). In order to be admitted to the doctoral program, the student should complete the following pre-requisites: one year of general chemistry with labs, one year of physics with labs, one year of general biology (can include zoology), human anatomy, physiology, pre-calculus (or higher math), one year of psychology (general and an advanced course – some schools are specific about the advanced psychology course) and statistics.
Additional suggested courses of value include sociology, exercise physiology, biochemistry, medical terminology, and management courses. In addition, interested students must document 50-100 clock hours of work or volunteer experience directly related to physical therapy. Specific requirements vary by institution, so students should consult the websites of schools that are of interest.
Many schools require that students take the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) as part of the admission process. Students may also be asked to apply through a special website, PTCAS (Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service), one year before they desire admission. Interested students should maintain close contact with the School's Pre-Health advisors.
No colleges or universities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky offer training in veterinary medicine. However, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education administers a Southern Regional Education Board Program in Kentucky through which qualified Kentucky resident students may be accepted to the veterinary medicine schools of Auburn University and Tuskegee University. (At the time of publication of this Catalog, the Council had contracted for 36 entering spaces annually: 34 at Auburn and two at Tuskegee.)
Students accepted under the regional plan are relieved of the obligation of paying out-of-state fees, and their expenses are identical to those of in-state students. Formal applications must be filed through the Council on Postsecondary Education, which re-views these applications and submits those selected to Auburn or Tuskegee for admission approval. Any student interested in veterinary medicine should have completed 80 semester credit hours of professional training with a minimum grade-point average of 2.5; however, preference is given to those students who have satisfied the requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Interested students should consult the Chairperson of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.