Physical Therapy School Requirements Bellingham WA 98225 Archives

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Bellingham 98225

Bellingham WA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Bellingham WA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated 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 what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Bellingham WA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Bellingham WA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously 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 develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Bellingham WA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Bellingham WA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Bellingham WA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often include 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bellingham WA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of 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 college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bellingham WA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Bellingham WA area and throughout Washington, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Bellingham WA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Washington Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bellingham WA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Washington or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Bellingham WA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Bellingham healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Bellingham WA home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bellingham WA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bellingham Washington?

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

Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham (/ˈbɛlɪŋhæm/ BEL-ing-ham) is the largest city in and the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington.[6] It is the thirteenth-largest city in the state, with 86,720 residents as of April 1, 2017, per the Washington State Office of Financial Management,[7] and is part of the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the state. The boundaries of the city encompass the former towns of Fairhaven, Whatcom, Sehome, and Bellingham.

Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of almost 100,000 residents in the contiguous United States.[8] The city is known for its easy access to outdoor recreation in the San Juan Islands and North Cascades[9] as well as proximity to the cities of Vancouver and Seattle.

A waterfront redevelopment is underway on more than 100 acres of former industrial land.[10] with a hotel, conference center, condos, retirement living, retail and commercial development on the site.[11]

Select the Best Physical Therapist College near Bellingham WA

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing 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 best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Bellingham WA.