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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Visalia 93277

Visalia CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Visalia CA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with 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 residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Visalia CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Visalia CA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Visalia CA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Visalia CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Visalia CA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Visalia CA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Visalia CA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Visalia CA area and throughout California, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Visalia CA physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Visalia CA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for California or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have associations with Visalia CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Visalia healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Visalia CA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide 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 Visalia CA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Visalia California?

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

Visalia, California

Visalia (/vaɪˈseɪliə/ vy-SAYL-ee-ə) is a city situated in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California, approximately 230 miles (370 km) southeast of San Francisco, 190 miles (310 km) north of Los Angeles, 36 miles (58 km) west of Sequoia National Park and 43 miles (69 km) south of Fresno. The population was 130,104 at the 2015 census.

The area around Visalia was first settled by the Yokuts and Mono Native American tribes hundreds of years ago.[11] It is unknown when the first Europeans arrived, but the first to make a written record of the area was Pedro Fages in 1722.[12]

When California achieved statehood in 1850, Tulare County did not exist. The land that is now Tulare County was part of the huge County of Mariposa.[13] In 1852, some pioneers settled in the area, then called Four Creeks. The area got its name from the many watershed creeks and rivers flowing from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. All the water resulted in a widespread swampy area with a magnificent oak forest. The industrious group of settlers petitioned the state legislature for county status and on July 10 of that same year, Tulare County became a reality.[14]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Visalia CA

Picking the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with active 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 additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Visalia CA.