Physical Therapist Assistant Education Requirements Fayetteville WV 25840 Archives

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Fayetteville 25840

Fayetteville WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Fayetteville WV is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Fayetteville WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Fayetteville WV private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases 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 strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Fayetteville WV health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Fayetteville WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Fayetteville WV area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fayetteville WV Although not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Fayetteville WV home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Fayetteville WV area and throughout West Virginia, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Fayetteville WV physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the West Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Fayetteville WV area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for West Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary 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 Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Fayetteville WV clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Fayetteville medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing 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 converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Fayetteville WV home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Fayetteville WV area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fayetteville West Virginia?

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

Fayetteville, West Virginia

Fayetteville was founded by Abraham Vandal, a Revolutionary War veteran and local farmer. The town was originally named Vandalia. The Fayette County Courthouse is located on part of the original Vandal farm. The town’s name was later (prior to 1837) changed to Fayetteville after the Revolutionary War hero, Marquis de Lafayette who toured the US in 1824–25.

During the Civil War, the majority of the people in Fayetteville were in sympathy with the Southern cause. Fayetteville changed hands several times during the war and was partially destroyed during the fighting.

In 1897, the Fayette County Courthouse was completed and is a remarkable example of the Romanesque Revival architectural style. The Altamont Hotel was built the same year. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the E. B. Hawkins House. The Fayetteville Historic District was designated in 1990.[9]

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Fayetteville WV

Picking the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Fayetteville WV.