Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Bentonville AR

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Bentonville 72712

Bentonville AR physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapy degree near Bentonville AR is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Bentonville AR physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in diverse settings, including Bentonville AR private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Bentonville AR medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Bentonville AR physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Bentonville AR area:

  • Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bentonville ARWhile not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Bentonville AR home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Bentonville AR area and throughout Arkansas, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Bentonville AR physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Arkansas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Bentonville AR area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Arkansas or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Bentonville AR hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Bentonville medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Bentonville AR home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Bentonville AR area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bentonville Arkansas?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Bentonville AR area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Bentonville, Arkansas

Bentonville is the ninth-largest city in Arkansas, United States and the county seat of Benton County.[4] The city is centrally located in the county with Rogers adjacent to the east. The city is the birthplace and world headquarters of Walmart, the world's largest retailer.[5] It is one of the four main cities in the four-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ranked 109th in terms of population in the United States with 463,204 residents in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau. The city itself had a population of 35,301 at the 2010 Census,[6] with an estimated population of 49,298 in 2017.[7]

The area now known as Bentonville's first known use by humans was as hunting grounds by the Osage Nation who lived in Missouri. The Osage would leave their settlements to hunt in present-day Benton County for months at a time before returning to their families. White settlers first inhabited the area around 1837 and named their settlement "Osage". By this time, the Osage had ceased using the area for hunting, and the white settlers began to establish farms. Upon establishment of Benton County on September 30, 1836, Osage was deemed a suitable site for the county seat, and the town square was established as the home of county government the following year. Osage was renamed Bentonville in honor of Thomas Hart Benton, a senator from Missouri who strongly supported Arkansas statehood.[8]

Two years after Arkansas received statehood in 1836, thousands of Cherokee people from Georgia passed through Benton County as part of the Trail of Tears route to the Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma. Although no Civil War battles were fought inside Bentonville, the city was occupied by both armies and saw almost all of its buildings burned, either by opposing armies or guerrilla outlaws. Bentonville was a staging point for the Confederate army prior to the Battle of Pea Ridge, fought about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of town, and the town saw a brief skirmish just prior to the battle. The city began to rebuild about a decade after incorporation on April 3, 1873, with many of these Reconstruction Era buildings today serving as the oldest structures in Bentonville.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Bentonville AR

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Bentonville AR.

A Few More Interesting Locations in Arkansas

  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Bradford AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Pea Ridge AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Camden AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Pocahontas AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Arkadelphia AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Batesville AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Compton AR
  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Melbourne AR
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  • Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Warren AR
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    Business Results 1 - 10 of 27

    Advanced Physical Therapy
    3 Reviews
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    Phone:
    2403 W Hudson Rd, Ste 1, Rogers, AR 72756

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