Tag Archives: Physical Therapy Associates Degrees Near Me San Manuel AZ 85631

Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – San Manuel AZ

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near San Manuel 85631

San Manuel AZ physical therapy school student with volunteerObtaining a physical therapist degree near San Manuel AZ is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. 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 cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

San Manuel AZ physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in diverse settings, such as San Manuel AZ hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have 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 frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other San Manuel AZ health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

San Manuel AZ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the San Manuel AZ area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 most cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in San Manuel AZAlthough not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s San Manuel AZ home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the San Manuel AZ area and across Arizona, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several San Manuel AZ physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Arizona Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the San Manuel AZ 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 outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

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

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with San Manuel AZ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the San Manuel health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their San Manuel AZ residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the San Manuel AZ area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near San Manuel Arizona?

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

San Manuel, Arizona

San Manuel was built in 1953 by Del E. Webb Construction Company as a company town to serve the then-new San Manuel copper mine, mill and smelter complex. When copper prices fell in the late 1990s, Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP), the owner of the mine and smelter complex shuttered both operations in June 1999. The closing saw 2,500 people lose their jobs. The mine and smelter were permanently closed in 2003.

The town is on the edge of the Sonoran Desert and overlooks the San Pedro River valley and panoramic Galiuro Mountains. Today San Manuel is a destination for leisure, hunting, backroad travel and off-road dirt bikes and ATV's. It also is a gateway city of The Arizona Trail.[3][4] Nearby towns are Oracle and Mammoth. Both are within 10 mi (16 km) of San Manuel and make up a tri-community area.

San Manuel is located at 32°36′18″N 110°38′0″W / 32.60500°N 110.63333°W / 32.60500; -110.63333 (32.605048, -110.633340),[5] in the San Pedro River Valley at an elevation of about 3,500 feet (1,100 m). San Manuel is about 45 miles (72 km) northeast of Tucson.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near San Manuel AZ

Picking the ideal physical therapy college is an important initial decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in San Manuel AZ.

A Few More Interesting Locations in Arizona

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