Academics

Pre-Physical Therapy Advising

Pre-physical therapy advising spans all the years of a student’s Whitworth education. Explore your career interests, receive personalized guidance, and gain skills and experience outside of the classroom that will prepare you to be a competitive applicant for physical therapy school and a compassionate future practitioner. Chart a clear path to occupational therapy with a pre-physical therapy minor.

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapists are licensed medical professionals who work with multiple patient populations impacted by disease, injury and movement dysfunction. They optimize quality of life by maintaining, restoring and improving patients' ability to move, function and live more active lifestyles.

Why pursue pre-physical therapy advising at Whitworth?

Find your calling. Vocational discernment is interwoven into all aspects of pre-physical therapy advising, from mentoring to seminars and guest speaker events.
Form connections with professors and advisors who want to see you succeed and will support you every step of the way. Our advisors even continue to assist students after their Whitworth graduation, particularly as they prepare their physical therapy school applications.
Take a specialized seminar course that will help you explore career paths.
Gain experience working with individuals who are different from you. Enroll in a study abroad program that includes a medical internship, or join a student-run club like En Christo that serves low-income residents in Spokane. You will develop important perspectives you can apply toward a career in which you'll be working with patients from all walks of life.
Build leadership skills that will strengthen your résumé. At Whitworth, you will have many opportunities to develop into a capable and caring leader, whether by volunteering for a worthwhile cause, getting involved with student government or residence life, or serving as a teaching assistant.
Develop transferable skills that will make you more effective in your future career in healthcare and in other areas of life. A Whitworth liberal arts education will prepare you to think critically and communicate clearly.
Become who you're meant to be.

Ask our faculty

Ask Smokey

sfermin@whitworth.edu

Associate Professor of Health Sciences Smokey Fermin teaches courses in athletic training.

Faculty Page

Ask Matt

msilvers@whitworth.edu

Professor of Health Sciences Matt Silvers' area of expertise is exercise physiology.

Faculty Page

Our pre-physical therapy advising grads make a difference (and get jobs)

Our graduates are working as physical therapists across the country.

Recent job placements include:

Katriel Sahlstrom Smit, physical therapist, Core Pelvic Physical Therapy, Spokane
Kelsey Copenhaver, physical therapist, Providence St. Luke's, Spokane
Matt Roth, owner and physical therapist, U-District Physical Therapy, Spokane
Shannon Zalewski, physical therapist and clinic director, Performance Physical Therapy, Rancho Cordova, Calif.

Our recent pre-physical therapy advising graduates further their studies in top physical therapy programs at institutions including:

Whitworth University
Eastern Washington University
George Washington University
Pacific University
Regis University
University of Colorado
University of Montana
University of Southern California
University of Washington
Wake Forest University

What related majors can I explore?

The major that most closely aligns with requirements for graduate physical therapy programs is the B.S. in rehabilitation science with a minor in pre-physical therapy. However, you may be surprised to learn you can choose any major as a pre-physical therapy student. While it's more common to choose a major in the sciences, physical therapy school applicants can also choose majors in the humanities like history, English and theology, and complete a significant number of credits in the sciences.

Next steps

Academic Information

What Is It Like?