Interview with Théo Baffie, a student in the LAK program
Check out the interview with Théo Baffie, a former LAK student at the Faculty of Sciences who graduated at the top of his class with a degree in physical therapy.
What's your background?
I was born in Ardèche, so I attended school there throughout my entire education. I earned a science-focused high school diploma at a high school in Aubenas (07). After graduating from high school, I moved to Montpellier to continue my studies, with the goal of becoming a physical therapist.
Why did you choose a LAK at the FdS?
I’ve always wanted to become a physical therapist. When I started my freshman year of college, the PASS and LAS tracks were introduced, in addition to the PACES repeat track. The number of spots allocated for each admission track wasn’t available yet.
After researching both options, I found that the number of physical therapy spots for the LAS program was set and offered a more favorable ratio than for the PASS program (8 out of 80 in 2020). The curriculum seemed compatible with the requirements of both the PASS entrance exam and the physical therapy program, which is why I decided to pursue an LAK degree at the College of Sciences.
Finally, if I didn't succeed, I had the option of trying again in LAK 2, or even staying in this program—which I enjoyed—if I couldn't get into physical therapy school.
What aspects of this training helped you excel?
The first advantage is that the ratio of physical therapy spots to the number of students was more favorable than in the other admission tracks.
Furthermore, the training program was comprehensive and tailored to the requirements of physical therapy training.
The programs were also more representative of physical therapy programs, with, in particular, more hands-on work, group projects, etc.
So I started my first year at physical therapy school with no gaps in my knowledge, even though anatomy isn't taught at the university.