Posted on Apr 4, 2018
What are the chances of a physical therapist with a year experience getting directly commissioned into the Army or another branch?
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I posted this on another site on an older thread but I thought I would try this community as well. I have applied to Air Force and Army as a Physical therapist this past year. I received a non selected from the Air Force and am currently on OML for the Army. I am just curious as to the chances of getting a slot as a new grad, I have been practicing for almost a year. Being part of the military has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember but it seems like the process now, at 26 as a physical therapist, is harder than when I was fresh out of high school or college. I can think of no better way to use my talents than for the men and women that fight for us and our freedoms. So back to my question, is there anything in particular that the selection board is looking for? What type of leadership experience would be best for me to gain for my application if I am not selected off the OML list this year? Any other suggestions would be appreciated as well. I really want this and I am willing to do whatever it takes to put on a uniform and serve my country and the men and women who secure our freedoms. I know that sounds generic but I really want to serve with the talents and knowledge that I have been given.
Posted in these groups: Physical Therapist
Direct Commission
Direct Commission
Posted >1 y ago
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Are you looking at active duty or Reserves? There aren't a ton of PTs in the Army and we get most of them through the Army-Baylor DPT program. Most of the non-Baylor PTs I know of had at least a few years of experience under their belts before they commissioned. The only one I know that was a new grad was someone who commissioned through ROTC then received an ed delay for PT school. There's actually a pilot program in place to place more PTs at the battalion level. If that program takes off there will definitely be an increased need and Army-Baylor won't be able to to meet the demand with the 18-20 Army folks they graduate every year. Have you looked into the Navy as well? They have a good amount of PTs but they generally only take 3-4 slots per year in the Army-Baylor program. I believe they take in more civilian PTs than the Army does. I think I'm starting to ramble a bit and I have to be up in 7 hours for my APFT. If you send me a PM I might be able to point you in the right direction or put you in touch with someone who has gone through the process before.
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Toneyell Shropshire
I am looking for an active duty position. I decided back when to apply for a civilian PT school and then try to go into the military but I didn’t realize how hard it would be. I thought they would be looking for people but I see how small the population is in the military. I am not against applying for the Navy, I have already planned to apply for Army and Air Force again but I will have to reach out and contact Navy for the first time this year. I was sitting and waiting, hoping, that I maybe moved off the OML list but there are 3 others hoping the same thing for this board. I want to serve active all the way. I’ve always wanted to be part of the military so I want the whole experience, not just the weekends. I want to serve full time. If you have any more information for me I am all ears. I guess the best thing I can think of is what exactly are they looking for that I need in my application that will put me over the top? I started looking into on base jobs but honestly I don’t know how that will work as some require a couple years commitment. Also, I really want to serve in uniform so that might be kind of hard for me to accept but I would be willing if it gets me in the door. Okay, now I am rambling. I am just looking for information that will help me become a better candidate to serve.
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CPT (Join to see)
The messaging system is acting up but I replied to your message a few minutes ago. If it didn't go through let me know.
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I know from the Army Reserve side, we are overstrength in CPT up to COL ranks for physical therapists. The Army graduates it's own PT's from Baylor and the demand for PT's ebbs and flows. When the military can't get positions they recruit with bonuses. If you are not selected, apply again and continue to build your clinical skills.
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Toneyell Shropshire
I want to go active. I want to serve full time. I really don’t care about the bonus they do a bit of loan repayment which is nice but I can take care of that as long as I get to serve.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I had a friend (new grad, 6 mo experience) direct commission into USAF and they took care of 50% of her loans (about 75k) in exchange for 3 years, but that was 2 years ago. The military has great options for continuing education as well. Best of luck!
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So I would go through OCS instead of direct commissioning? I am not sure how that would work with my profession. Will I still be going in as a physical therapist or will I have to wait until a spot opens up for a therapist?
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