Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Hialeah FL

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Hialeah 33002

Hialeah FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Hialeah FL is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college 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 besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hialeah FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Hialeah FL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor 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
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Hialeah FL health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Hialeah FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single 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 readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Hialeah FL 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 obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hialeah FL While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hialeah FL residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Hialeah FL area and across Florida, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received 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 school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing 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 Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Hialeah FL 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 insight about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hialeah FL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Florida or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have partnerships with Hialeah FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Hialeah health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Hialeah FL home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear 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 might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hialeah FL area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hialeah Florida?

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

Hialeah, Florida

Hialeah ( /ˌhaɪəˈliːə/) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. With the population of 224,669 at the 2010 census, Hialeah is the sixth-largest city in Florida. It is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census. It is located west-northwest of Miami, and is the only place in the county, other than Homestead, Florida, to have its own street grid numbered separately from the rest of the county (which is otherwise based on Miami Avenue at Flagler Street in downtown Miami, the county seat).

Hialeah has the highest percentage of Cuban and Cuban American residents of any city in the United States, at 73.37% of the population, making them a distinctive and prominent feature of the city's culture.

Hialeah also has one of the largest Spanish-speaking communities in the country. In 2016, 96.3% of residents reported speaking Spanish at home, and the language is an important part of daily life in the city. This has attracted many companies to Hialeah, such as Telemundo, the second largest Spanish-language television network in the United States, which is headquartered in the city.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Hialeah FL

Picking the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Hialeah FL.