Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy share a lot in common. Both are hands-on, rehabilitation-focused professions, and students often consider both before deciding which fits them better. Both are licensed clinical roles that involve helping patients recover function after injury, illness, surgery, or disability, and both require significant pre-application clinical/observation experience. But their underlying philosophy of care is genuinely different:

• Physical Therapists (PTs) are movement specialists. They focus on restoring strength, mobility, and physical function. Some obvious applications include helping a patient walk or regain range of motion after surgery, or manage chronic pain through movement-based treatment.
• Occupational Therapists (OTs) take a broader, more holistic approach, centered on a person’s ability to participate in meaningful daily activities (“occupations”). This may include anything from getting dressed or cooking, returning to or attending work or school, or adapting a home environment after injury or disability.

If you’re undecided between the two, shadowing both a PT and an OT (ideally in more than one clinical setting) is one of the best ways to get a feel for which day-to-day role resonates more. Not to mention, observation hours are required or strongly recommended for both application processes anyway.

References: American Physical Therapy Association (APTA); American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

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Physical Therapy: DPT only. Unlike OT (below), PT has a single point of entry: the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), which is generally a 3-year, full-time program. There is no master’s-level entry pathway in PT; the profession transitioned fully to the doctoral model years ago. After graduating, candidates must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and obtain state licensure to practice.

Occupational Therapy: MOT/MSOT or OTD. OT currently has two valid entry-level credentials: a Master’s degree (MOT or MSOT), typically around 2.5 years, or an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), typically around 3–3.5 years. Both lead to the same licensure exam (the NBCOT exam, leading to the OTR/L credential) and the same scope of practice.

A note on a persistent OT rumor: you may come across claims online that OT is being forced to transition to an OTD-only model (sometimes citing a “2027 deadline”), similar to what happened with PT. This was a real proposal—OT’s accrediting body (ACOTE) issued a mandate in 2017 to require an entry-level doctorate by 2027— but the mandate was reversed in 2019, and as of 2026 there is no requirement for OT to move to doctorate-only.

Some individual programs have chosen to phase out their master’s track regardless, but this is a school-by-school decision, not a profession-wide one. If you’re choosing between MOT/MSOT and OTD programs, the deciding factors are typically cost and time investment (MOT/MSOT is less expensive and shorter) versus interest in research, leadership, or academic-track careers down the line (where OTD can have an edge).

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PT and OT prerequisite coursework is broadly similar to each other and overlaps somewhat with pre-med coursework, but always confirm exact requirements with each individual program. There is significant variation, and PTCAS/OTCAS both offer searchable directories comparing prerequisites across schools.

Subject	Physical Therapy (PT)	Occupational Therapy (OT)
General Biology (w/ lab)	Yes — usually 1–2 semesters	Yes — usually 1–2 semesters
Anatomy & Physiology (w/ lab)	Yes — almost universally required — not currently offered at Wesleyan	Yes — almost universally required — not currently offered at Wesleyan
General Chemistry (w/ lab)	Often required (some programs accept other sciences in its place)	Less consistently required than for PT; varies by program
Physics (w/ lab)	Commonly required, often 1–2 semesters	Less commonly required than for PT
Statistics	Commonly required	Commonly required
Psychology	Often required, sometimes specifically developmental or lifespan psychology	Frequently required, often specifically developmental or lifespan psychology, which are central to OT’s focus on the whole person
Medical Terminology	Sometimes recommended	Sometimes recommended

Key takeaways: Anatomy & Physiology is the most consistent gap for Wesleyan students applying to either PT or OT, since it isn’t currently offered here. Students should plan early to complete it elsewhere (community college, summer program, or post-bacc).

Beyond that, OT programs are somewhat more likely to weight psychology and human development coursework heavily, reflecting the profession’s focus on daily functioning and life participation, while PT programs more consistently expect physics, reflecting their focus on biomechanics and movement science.

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Both professions place significant weight on pre-application clinical observation that is distinct from direct, hands-on patient care. For PT and OT, observation & shadowing, not paid clinical work, is generally the expected form of experience, though paid clinical roles often count as well.

PT observation hours: Requirements vary widely by program, commonly ranging from about 30 to 100+ hours, often required to be supervised directly by a licensed PT. Some programs require hours across more than one clinical setting (e.g., both inpatient and outpatient) to demonstrate breadth of exposure. A letter of recommendation from a PT who supervised your observation is frequently expected and sometimes required.

OT observation hours: Requirements vary even more by program than in PT. Some schools require as few as 10–20 hours, others have no formal requirement at all (though shadowing is still recommended even when not required), and a small number expect more. Where required, hours are typically expected across more than one practice setting, since OT spans a wide range of populations and environments (pediatric, geriatric, mental health, physical rehab, etc.).

Practical note: Because hospital and inpatient settings can have long waitlists for shadowing or volunteer placements (sometimes 6 months to a year), students seriously considering PT or OT should start reaching out to potential sites well before they expect to need the hours.

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Neither PT nor OT has a single universal standardized test the way medical school has the MCAT. The GRE was historically common for both professions, but has fallen out of favor industry-wide:

• For PT, a majority of DPT programs no longer require the GRE, and many that still list it treat it as optional or supplementary context rather than a hard requirement.
• For OT, the trend is similar: most OT graduate programs no longer require GRE scores, though a minority still do.

As with PA and nursing, testing requirements vary by individual program and can change from cycle to cycle. The most efficient approach is to build your program list first, then check each one’s current GRE policy directly (via the PTCAS or OTCAS program directories) rather than assuming a universal requirement.

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PT and OT each have their own centralized application system, which both run on the Liaison platform:

• PTCAS (Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service) — used by the large majority of DPT programs
• OTCAS (Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service) — used by the large majority of OT programs (both MOT/MSOT and OTD)

How the cycles generally work:

• PTCAS typically opens in mid-June each year.
• OTCAS typically opens in mid-July each year.
• Deadlines: Both systems are used by multiple programs, but each individual program sets its own deadline. Schools may require your application be submitted, completed (including transcripts and letters received), or fully verified (the most stringent standard) by the date listed. Always confirm which standard applies to each program on your list.
• Most PT and OT programs use some form of rolling admissions, reviewing applications as they’re verified. Applying early in the cycle is a real advantage for both professions.
• A small number of OT programs (and a few PT programs) run two separate admission cycles per year rather than one annual cycle. Double-check each program’s structure rather than assuming a single, yearly deadline applies.

General planning timeline:

• 12+ months out: Confirm prerequisite coursework for your target programs, including completing Anatomy & Physiology elsewhere if needed; begin accumulating observation hours in more than one clinical setting.
• Several months before the cycle opens: Request letters of recommendation (ideally including one from a licensed PT or OT who supervised your observation), draft your personal statement, and confirm GRE requirements for your specific program list.
• As soon as PTCAS/OTCAS opens: Begin entering coursework and requesting transcripts; aim to submit within the first several weeks given how common rolling admissions are in both fields.
• Throughout the cycle: Watch for program-specific supplemental applications, which are common for both PT and OT, and often carry their own separate deadlines and fees.

Meet with the Health Professions and Life Sciences Career Advisor to build a personalized timeline and confirm the specific observation hour, coursework, and testing requirements for the programs on your list.