Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Safety Harbor FL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Safety Harbor 34695

Safety Harbor FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Safety Harbor FL is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant 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 address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Safety Harbor FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Safety Harbor FL 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Safety Harbor FL medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating 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 often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Safety Harbor FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Safety Harbor FL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Safety Harbor FL Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Safety Harbor FL home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Safety Harbor FL area and across Florida, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’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 organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Safety Harbor FL physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Florida 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 Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Safety Harbor FL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Florida or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Safety Harbor FL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Safety Harbor healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Safety Harbor FL residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Safety Harbor 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 have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Safety Harbor Florida?

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

Safety Harbor, Florida

Safety Harbor is located at 28°0.3′N 82°41.7′W / 28.0050°N 82.6950°W / 28.0050; -82.6950 (28.0047, -82.6953).[6] The harbor or bay of the same name on which it is located is the nearly-landlocked far northwestern extension of Tampa Bay, and the city is located on the west side of that bay.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 17,203 people, 7,084 households, and 4,845 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,498.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,350.0/km²). There were 7,483 housing units at an average density of 1,521.7 per square mile (587.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.23% White, 4.14% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.68% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.65% of the population.

There were 7,084 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.85.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy School near Safety Harbor FL

Choosing the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent 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 therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing 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 selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Safety Harbor FL.