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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Jasper 72641

Jasper AR physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapist degree near Jasper AR is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Jasper AR physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Jasper AR hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Jasper AR health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Jasper AR physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Jasper AR area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jasper ARAlthough not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jasper AR residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Jasper AR area and throughout Arkansas, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 several Jasper AR physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Arkansas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Jasper AR area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Arkansas or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Jasper AR clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Jasper medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Jasper AR residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Jasper AR area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jasper Arkansas?

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

Jasper, Arkansas

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 498 people, 231 households, and 115 families residing in the city. The population density was 940.4 people per square mile (362.8/km²). There were 261 housing units at an average density of 492.9/sq mi (190.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.98% White, 0.01% Native American, 0.01% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 233 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.5% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.8% were non-families. 48.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 27.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city, the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 18.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 31.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 71.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 63.7 males.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Jasper AR

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Jasper AR.

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    Integrity Health Centers
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    Chiropractors, Physical Therapy
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