Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Kapolei HI

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Kapolei 96707

Kapolei HI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Kapolei HI is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Kapolei HI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Kapolei HI private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Kapolei HI health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, 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 Available

Kapolei HI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Kapolei HI area:

Associate Degrees train students to become 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 qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kapolei HI Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kapolei HI home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Kapolei HI area and across Hawaii, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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. Call a few Kapolei HI physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Hawaii Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Kapolei HI area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Hawaii 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 therapist school. Although 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Kapolei HI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Kapolei health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Kapolei HI home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Kapolei HI area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask 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 Kapolei Hawaii?

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

Kapolei, Hawaii

Kapolei is a planned community in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States, on the island of Oahu. It is colloquially known as the "second city" of Oahu,[2] in relation to Honolulu. Officially, it is a census-designated place (CDP) within the consolidated city-county of Honolulu.

The community takes its name from a volcanic cone, Puʻu o Kapolei. In the Hawaiian language, puʻu means "hill" and Kapo lei means "beloved Kapo". According to legend, Kapo, Goddess of Fertility was sister to Pele, Goddess of Fire and Nāmaka, Goddess of the Sea.

Much of the land is part of the estate of industrialist James Campbell. Kapolei's major developer is Kapolei Property Development, a subsidiary of James Campbell Company.[3] Kapolei sits primarily upon former sugarcane and pineapple fields.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Kapolei HI

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Kapolei HI.