How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Hickman 42050

Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Hickman KY is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Hickman KY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Fire injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Hickman KY health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, 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 Therapist Degrees Offered

There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to become 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 brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Hickman KY area:

• Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly 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 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 overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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 USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hickman KY residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Hickman KY area and across Kentucky, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 choose an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Hickman KY physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Kentucky Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hickman KY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Kentucky or the state where you will be working. 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 program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Hickman KY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Hickman healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Hickman KY residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college 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 night or weekend classes in the Hickman KY 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 carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hickman Kentucky?

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

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Hickman KY

Picking the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with active 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 following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Hickman KY.

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