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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Westwood 96137

Westwood CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Westwood CA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Westwood CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Westwood CA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Westwood CA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Westwood CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Westwood CA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often 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 typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must 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. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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 United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Westwood CA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Westwood CA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Westwood CA area and across California, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering 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 choose an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Westwood CA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school options. It may also be prudent to contact the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Westwood CA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements differ 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Westwood CA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Westwood health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back 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 reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Westwood CA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Westwood CA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Westwood California?

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

Westwood, California

Westwood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lassen County, California, United States. Westwood is located 20 miles (32 km) west-southwest of Susanville,[3] at an elevation of 5,128 feet (1,563 m).[2] The population was 1,647 at the 2010 census, down from 1,998 at the 2000 census. Westwood is the hometown of mythical logger Paul Bunyan.

Westwood was built by T. B. Walker to be the operations center for the Red River Lumber Company in 1913.[3][5][6] The first post office opened the same year.[3] The Red River Lumber Company is credited as being "the world's largest electrical sawmill of the times."[7] Red River Lumber Company also operated one of the first electric railways in the state built in 1927.[8] The mill was equipped with the most modern equipment for its time;[9] and the surrounding territory was crisscrossed by forest railways bringing logs to the mill. The railway shop at Westwood was home to 2-8-0 #102 and 2-8-2 #104 when forest railway operations ceased in the early 1950s.[10] The four woods engines scrapped in 1953 were 2-6-0 number 1, 2-6-2 number 2, 2-8-2 number 3, and 3-truck Shay locomotive number 4.[11]

William Laughead, an advertising copywriter who had once worked in lumber camps, took the stories of an old lumberjack and reworked them into the modern character. He sold the stories of Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox "Babe" to the Red River Lumber Company, which published "Introducing Mr. Paul Bunyan of Westwood, California" in 1916 as an advertising pamphlet.[12] Among other things, Laughead gave the name "Babe" to the blue ox, originated the idea that Paul Bunyan and Babe were of enormous size, and created the first pictorial representation of Bunyan.[12]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Westwood CA

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Westwood CA.