Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Jewell GA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Jewell 31045

Jewell GA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Jewell GA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. 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 most affordable tuition. There are other relevant 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 address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Jewell GA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Jewell GA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Jewell GA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with 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 quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Jewell GA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Jewell GA 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 a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jewell GA Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jewell GA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want 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 schools within the Jewell GA area and across Georgia, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Jewell GA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Georgia 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 Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once 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 Jewell GA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Georgia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have associations with Jewell GA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Jewell healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Jewell GA home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Jewell GA area, check that they are offered. 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 carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jewell Georgia?

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

Richard Jewell

Richard Allensworth Jewell (born Richard White;[1] December 17, 1962 – August 29, 2007) was an American police officer and security guard. While working as a security guard for AT&T, he became known in connection with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.[2] Discovering a backpack filled with three pipe bombs on the park grounds, Jewell alerted police and helped to evacuate the area before the bomb exploded, saving many people from injury or death. Initially hailed by the media as a hero, Jewell was later considered a suspect. Jewell's case is considered an example of the damage that can be done by media reporting based on unreliable or incomplete information.[3]

Despite never being charged, he underwent a "trial by media" with great toll on his personal and professional life. Jewell was eventually completely exonerated, and Eric Rudolph was later found to have been the bomber.[4][5] In 2006, Governor Sonny Perdue publicly thanked Jewell on behalf of the State of Georgia for saving the lives of those at the Olympics.[6] Jewell died on August 29, 2007 of heart failure from complications of diabetes at age 44.

Jewell was born Richard White in Danville, Georgia, the son of Bobi, an insurance claims co-ordinator, and Robert Earl White, who worked for Chevrolet.[1] Richard's parents divorced when he was four. His mother remarried, to John Jewell, an insurance executive, who adopted Richard.[1] Jewell was married to Dana Jewell.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Jewell GA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Jewell GA.