Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Atlanta ID

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Atlanta 83601

Atlanta ID physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Atlanta ID is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Atlanta ID physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Atlanta ID hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Atlanta ID health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather 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 Therapy Degrees

Atlanta ID physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Atlanta ID area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Atlanta ID Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so 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 necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Atlanta ID residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Atlanta ID area and throughout Idaho, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 select an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Atlanta ID physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It may also be prudent to contact the Idaho Attorney General and school licensing authority to see 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 know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left 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 Atlanta ID area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Idaho or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have associations with Atlanta ID hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Atlanta healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Atlanta ID residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes 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 keep 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 may be required 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 live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Atlanta ID area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Atlanta Idaho?

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

Atlanta

Atlanta (/ætˈlæntə/) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. With an estimated 2017 population of 486,290,[12] it is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, home to 5.8 million people and the ninth-largest metropolitan area in the United States.[6] Atlanta is the seat of Fulton County and a small portion of the city extends eastward into DeKalb County.

Atlanta was founded as a transportation hub at the intersection of two railroad lines in 1837. After being mostly burned to the ground during the American Civil War, the city rose from its ashes to become a national center of commerce and the unofficial capital of the "New South". During the 1960s, Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and many other locals playing major roles in the movement's leadership. In the decades following, the city earned a reputation as "too busy to hate" for the relatively progressive views of its citizens and leaders compared to other cities in the "Deep South".[13] During the modern era, Atlanta has attained international prominence as a major air transportation hub, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998.[14][15][16][17]

Atlanta is rated a "beta(+)" world city that exerts a moderate impact on global commerce, finance, research, technology, education, media, art, and entertainment.[18] It ranks 18th among world cities and 7th in the nation with a gross domestic product of $320 billion.[19][20] Atlanta's economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors that include logistics, professional and business services, media operations, and information technology.[21] Atlanta has topographic features that include rolling hills and dense tree coverage, earning it the nickname of "the city in a forest."[22]Revitalization of Atlanta's neighborhoods, initially spurred by the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, has intensified in the 21st century, altering the city's demographics, politics, and culture.[23][24]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy School near Atlanta ID

Picking the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary 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 school you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Atlanta ID.