As a physical therapist, you will have the ability to diagnose and treat conditions that limit people's mobility and ability to function in daily living, and to provide patients with an increased quality of life. Knowing which courses to take in high school to prepare for a physical therapy career can make the admissions process easier. There are a few courses that are necessary to build a solid foundation for your future career.
Biology -- the study of life -- is perhaps the most important course you will take in high school to prepare for a career in physical therapy. In biology, you will investigate scientific concepts such as the structure and function of cells, cellular organization, human body systems, cellular respiration, genetics and human disease -- all of which will be critical to your study of physical therapy. As you will need to take biology in college as part of the physical therapy requirements, taking biology in high school will provide you with knowledge that will be critical to your future success.
In anatomy, you will learn about the structure of the human body. Understanding the intricacies of how each body part is interconnected and works together as a whole for bodily function will be critical for you to properly diagnose and treat mobility conditions. By taking anatomy in high school, you will gain a strong foundation in structural knowledge about the human body. This will enable you to have a better understanding of more advanced concepts you'll encounter in college courses.
If your high school offers physiology courses, completing physiology would be beneficial to your career in physical therapy as you will discover the many facets of cellular metabolism and bodily functions on which life depends. In physiology you will learn the importance of ions to nerve impulses and muscle contractions, the effect of nutrients on the body and how bodily parts function in daily living. As physiology can be quite complex, taking a physiology course in high school will help you stay ahead of the game and will make your resume more appealing to physical therapy programs.
No science-based career would be complete without a solid foundation in mathematics. Most physical therapy programs require completion of geometry, algebra and pre-calculus. Therefore, you will need to take these courses in high school to prepare for college requirements. An in-depth understanding of mathematics is important to the daily practice of a physical therapist as it is integral to understanding the structure and function of the body and in developing appropriate fitness and wellness programs.
A career in physical therapy can be very rewarding. As a physical therapist, you can work in hospitals, private practice, outpatient clinics, schools, sports facilities, work settings and nursing homes -- the opportunities for careers are almost endless. Even more importantly, the American Physical Therapy Association reports that the physical therapy field is expected to expand very rapidly due to the growing aging population, thus providing both opportunities and job security.
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