How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Salt Lick 40371

Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Salt Lick KY is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Salt Lick KY 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Strokes.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Salt Lick KY health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Salt Lick KY area:

• Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the program.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 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 Therapy Programs Online

While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more 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 close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Salt Lick KY residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Salt Lick KY area and across Kentucky, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to make certain that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential 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 regional or a national agency. 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 select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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. Get in touch with several Salt Lick KY physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Kentucky Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Salt Lick KY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Kentucky or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have relationships with Salt Lick KY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Salt Lick medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Salt Lick KY home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear 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 need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Salt Lick KY area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Salt Lick Kentucky?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Salt Lick 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 School near Salt Lick KY

Choosing the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach 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 appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Salt Lick KY.

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