Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cottonwood Falls KS

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Cottonwood Falls 66845

Cottonwood Falls KS physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Cottonwood Falls KS is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. 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 most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Cottonwood Falls KS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Cottonwood Falls KS hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Cottonwood Falls KS health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Cottonwood Falls KS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Cottonwood Falls KS area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing 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 Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cottonwood Falls KS While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships 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 portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cottonwood Falls KS home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Cottonwood Falls KS area and throughout Kansas, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Cottonwood Falls KS physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Kansas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cottonwood Falls KS area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Kansas or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with Cottonwood Falls KS hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get hands on 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 graduates and students form professional connections in the Cottonwood Falls medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Cottonwood Falls KS home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Cottonwood Falls KS area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cottonwood Falls Kansas?

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

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1859, Chase County was established within the Kansas Territory, which included the land for modern day Cottonwood Falls.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy School near Cottonwood Falls KS

Selecting the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical 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 have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Cottonwood Falls KS.