Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Newcastle CA

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Newcastle 95658

Newcastle CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Newcastle CA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Newcastle CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Newcastle CA 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 mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Newcastle CA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with 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 heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Newcastle CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Newcastle CA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 three years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Newcastle CA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Newcastle CA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Newcastle CA area and throughout California, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 enroll in an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Newcastle CA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Newcastle CA 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 verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for California or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Newcastle CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Newcastle medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Newcastle CA home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Newcastle CA area, make certain 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 need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Newcastle California?

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

Newcastle, California

Newcastle was founded in the 19th century. According to Transcontinental Railroad Landmarks the "Regular freight and passenger trains began operating over the first 31 miles of Central Pacific's line to Newcastle June 10, 1864, when political opposition and lack of money stopped further construction during that mild winter. Construction was resumed in April, 1865." The region is also in the vicinity of what was the cradle of "gold country", where in the mid-19th century a flurry of miners and gold prospectors searched for their fortune. During this time however, the town of Newcastle was known more for its orchards rather than abundant gold mines.

The 2010 United States Census[5] reported that Newcastle had a population of 1,224. The population density was 510.8 people per square mile (197.2/km²). The racial makeup of Newcastle was 1,113 (90.9%) White, 104 (8.5%) Hispanic or Latino of any race, 19 (1.6%) Native American, 17 (1.4%) Asian, 7 (0.6%) African American, 35 (2.9%) from other races, and 33 (2.7%) were from two or more races.

There were 545 households, out of which 115 (21.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 258 (47.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 42 (7.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 23 (4.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 25 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 186 households (34.1%) were made up of individuals and 117 (21.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23. There were 323 families (59.3% of all households); the average family size was 2.86.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Newcastle CA

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach 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 right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Newcastle CA.