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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Temple 30179

Temple GA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Temple GA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not 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 significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Temple GA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Temple GA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Temple GA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Temple GA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Temple GA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up 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 take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Temple GA While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Temple GA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Temple GA area and across Georgia, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you select the program that is right 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 considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned 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 program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. 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 reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Temple GA physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Georgia Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Temple GA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Georgia or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Temple GA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Temple healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at 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 final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Temple GA home. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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 Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Temple GA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. 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 Temple Georgia?

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

Temple, Georgia

Temple is located in northeastern Carroll County at 33°44′9″N 85°1′38″W / 33.73583°N 85.02722°W / 33.73583; -85.02722 (33.735723, -85.027298).[5] A very small portion of the city extends west into Haralson County. U.S. Route 78 passes just south of the center of town, leading east 6 miles (10 km) to Villa Rica and west 7 miles (11 km) to Bremen. Interstate 20 passes through the southernmost part of the town, with access from Exit 19, and leads east 38 miles (61 km) to Atlanta and west 48 miles (77 km) to Oxford, Alabama. Carrollton, the county seat, is 12 miles (19 km) south via Highway 113.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Temple has a total area of 6.9 square miles (17.9 km2), of which 6.8 square miles (17.6 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.2 km2), or 1.38%, is water.[4]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,383 people, 864 households, and 664 families residing in the city. The population density was 352.3 people per square mile (136.1/km²). There were 956 housing units at an average density of 141.3 per square mile (54.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.47% White, 13.72% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.80% of the population.

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Temple GA

Choosing the right physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to current 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 field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Temple GA.