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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Trion 30753

Trion GA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Trion GA is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. 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 most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Trion GA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Trion GA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring 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.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Trion GA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Trion GA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Trion GA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some 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 instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Trion GA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Trion GA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Trion GA area and throughout Georgia, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Trion GA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Trion GA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Trion GA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Trion medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Trion GA residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Trion GA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Trion Georgia?

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

Trion, Georgia

Trion is a town in Chattooga County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,827 as of the 2010 census,[4] down from 1,993 at the 2000 census. Trion is the second largest incorporated community in Chattooga County, which has a population of approximately 26,000. Trion is known as the denim capital of the world because of the Mount Vernon (formerly Riegel) manufacturing plant, which employs about 4,000 people.

Trion had its start in the 1840s when the Trion Mills cotton mill was established there.[5] A post office called Trion Factory opened in 1847, and in 1904 the name was changed to Trion.[6] The name "Trion" was chosen by the mill's three founders (Andrew Allgood, Spencer Marsh, and W.K. Briers) as a way to commemorate their partnership. Though the mill burned in 1875, it was eventually rebuilt, and evolved into what is now the Mount Vernon Mill No. 3.[7]

Trion is located in northern Chattooga County. U.S. Route 27 passes through the eastern part of the town, leading south 5 miles (8 km) to Summerville, the county seat, and north 12 miles (19 km) to LaFayette.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Trion GA

Choosing the ideal physical therapy college is an important initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Trion GA.