Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Lady Lake FL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Lady Lake 32158

Lady Lake FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Lady Lake FL is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Lady Lake FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Lady Lake FL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Lady Lake FL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Lady Lake FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Lady Lake FL area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several 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 phased out 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 existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lady Lake FL Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lady Lake FL home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Lady Lake FL area and throughout Florida, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select 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 simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Lady Lake FL physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lady Lake FL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Florida or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have associations with Lady Lake FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Lady Lake healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Lady Lake FL home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Lady Lake FL area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, 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 as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lady Lake Florida?

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

Lady Lake, Florida

Lady Lake is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,828 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 13,244.[5] It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Area history is exhibited at the Lady Lake Historical Society Museum.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 11,828 people, 6,125 households, and 4,293 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,787.2 people per square mile (689.9/km²). There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of 1,057.4 per square mile (408.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.32% White, 3.24% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.

There were 6,125 households out of which 7.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.91 and the average family size was 2.22.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Lady Lake FL

Choosing the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize 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 options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lady Lake FL.