Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Mountain View HI

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Mountain View 96771

Mountain View HI physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Mountain View HI is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Mountain View HI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Mountain View HI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. 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 suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Mountain View HI health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Mountain View HI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Mountain View HI area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced 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 even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mountain View HI Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Mountain View HI residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, such as 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 because there are numerous PT schools within the Mountain View HI area and throughout Hawaii, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring 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 Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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 agencies for their reviews also. Call several Mountain View HI physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Hawaii Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Mountain View HI area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Hawaii or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with Mountain View HI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Mountain View health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Mountain View HI home. Individuals who have chosen 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 importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Mountain View HI area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn 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 Mountain View Hawaii?

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

Mountain View, Hawaii

Mountain View is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States located in the District of Puna. The population was 3,924 at the 2010 census,[1] up from 2,799 at the 2000 census.

Mountain View is located on the east side of the island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Isand, at 19°32′23″N 155°8′29″W / 19.53972°N 155.14139°W / 19.53972; -155.14139 (19.539730, -155.141348).[2] It is bordered by Kurtistown to the northeast, Hawaiian Acres to the east, Fern Acres and Eden Roc to the southeast, Fern Forest to the south, and Volcano to the southwest. Hawaii Route 11 runs through the southeast side of the community, leading north 15 miles (24 km) to Hilo and southwest 15 miles to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,924 people in 1,318 households residing in the CDP. The population density was 69.3 people per square mile (26.7/km²). There were 1,510 housing units at an average density of 26.7 per square mile (10.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 24.90% White, 0.38% African American, 0.71% American Indian & Alaska Native, 16.00% Asian, 9.89% Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, 46.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.41% of the population.[3]

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Mountain View HI

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk 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 adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Mountain View HI.