Pre-physical Therapy

Alumni say dissecting cadavers in undergraduate gave them a head's start

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Alumni say dissecting cadavers in undergraduate gave them a head's start

Dissecting cadavers at EMU, as the professor and alumni attest, is a unique and powerfully formative opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students.

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Embryologist Sarah Jones ’08 helps hopefuls become parents

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Embryologist Sarah Jones ’08 helps hopefuls become parents

Jones '08 said a big leg up to doing this work came from research projects Jones completed as a pre-med undergraduate at Eastern Mennonite University, which included working with micro-manipulators similar to those she uses now.

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Semester-long practicums help you decide career interests

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Semester-long practicums help you decide career interests

Leah Lapp, a junior at Eastern Mennonite University, shadows Dr. John Wenger '85 during her pre-professional health sciences practicum. The required course places students in settings that match their career interests.

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EMU anatomy students memorialize ‘silent teachers’

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EMU anatomy students memorialize ‘silent teachers’

Undergraduate anatomy students lit and released paper lanterns as part of a memorial service for the four cadavers they dissected and studied this semester

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neuroscience minor strengthens pre-med program and grad school preparation

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neuroscience minor strengthens pre-med program and grad school preparation

A wide-ranging multidisciplinary field that studies the brain and nervous system, neuroscience is reshaping many other fields.

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Early Admissions Option with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Early Admissions Option with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

The Rocovich Scholar Early Admissions Program grants selected EMU scholars with early acceptance to VCOM in their third year of undergraduate studies and guaranteed admission upon satisfactory completion of the undergraduate degree.

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Priority enrollment for Doctor of Pharmacy program

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Priority enrollment for Doctor of Pharmacy program

A new articulation agreement with Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy provides annual priority enrollment for EMU students who meet admissions requirements.

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Do you want to help people regain mobility and recover after injuries or accidents by pursuing a career in physical therapy? At EMU, we can help you achieve your goals in our pre-physical therapy program. You’ll receive mentoring from our PhD-level faculty, be challenged by lab experiences with real-world applications, and gain the science background you’ll need to get in to top-tier physical therapy programs.

Why study at EMU?
- Cadaver dissection. Learn first-hand how the body works through cadaver dissection. Our small class sizes help you gain a better understanding of anatomy and physiology. Former students now in med school say EMU's cadaver dissection course helped them succeed, and lead, in related med school coursework.
- EMU's emphasis on faith, values and service means that you'll be prepared for the ethics of medical professions, as well as the science.
- PhD-level faculty offer opportunities for you to join them in research or do your own.
- Explore all your passions . Participate in sports, music, theater and any number of other extra-curricular activities while preparing for your career.
- Cross-cultural study enhances your application to physical therapy school and your empathy and understanding for patients from other countries.
- Faculty will help you set up clinical and job-shadowing experiences that fit your interests.
Clinical Experiences
It is recommended that students get at least 50 hours contact hours of job-shadowing or volunteer experience in physical therapy. We can help you get the experience you need for the physical therapy programs you choose.
- The P re-Professional Health Club visits medical schools together, creates and joins service projects, and gives you connections to other students in the field.
- Job-shadowing experiences are built into the curriculum to help you prepare for your career.
- Research grants support clinical experiences and research opportunities to help you prepare for your career.
Outcomes
* Over the past 10 years, students who completed Pre-Professional Health Sciences studies at EMU enjoyed an 91% acceptance rate to physical therapy schools.

Physical Therapy schools to which our students have been accepted since 2018:
- Duke University
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Temple University
- Murphy Deming (Mary Baldwin University)
- University of Delaware
- University of Pittsburgh
- Radford University
- Shenandoah University
- Regis University
- Drexel University
- Messiah University
- Arcadia University
- University of Lynchburg
*10-year statistic from applications submitted in years 2014-2023.
Affordability
- 99% of undergrads receive financial aid
- The average assistance package is over $37,000
- Over $21 million in aid is awarded each year
Financial aid packages often include:
Learn more by contacting EMU's Financial Assistance Office or checking out our net price calculator.

Possible Majors

A major in biology or biochemistry is recommended. EMU's biology major now includes the option of a pre-physical therapy track for those planning to pursue a physical therapy career path. The list of required and recommended courses below assumes a biology major in the pre-PT track; our faculty will carefully advise all pre-PT students to ensure that course selections meet the requirements for successful application to physical therapy schools. We recommend a minor in psychology or kinesiology and exercise science.

See our list of required and recommended courses for pre-physical therapy.