Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Columbia LA

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Columbia 71418

Columbia LA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Columbia LA is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. 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 work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Columbia LA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Columbia LA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Columbia LA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Columbia LA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Columbia LA 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 GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready 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. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Columbia LA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Columbia LA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Columbia LA area and throughout Louisiana, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Columbia LA physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. It may also be prudent to check with the Louisiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Columbia LA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Louisiana or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have relationships with Columbia LA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Columbia healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average 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 determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Columbia LA residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Columbia LA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Columbia Louisiana?

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

Columbia, Louisiana

The land that became Columbia was first cleared by Daniel Humphries in 1827. A store was built a few years later the only settlement between Monroe, Louisiana and the settlements of the Black River was formed. The harbor became a busy port for shipping cotton by steamboats and Packet boats until the arrival of the railroad. In February 1864 Columbia was the location of a skirmish between Federal and Confederate troops during the Civil War and there are several plantations in the area.[5]

Columbia is located just east of the center of Caldwell Parish at 32°6′15″N 92°4′37″W / 32.10417°N 92.07694°W / 32.10417; -92.07694 (32.104042, -92.076921),[6] on the southwest bank of the Ouachita River. U.S. Route 165 passes through the center of town and bridges the river, leading north 32 miles (51 km) to Monroe and south 64 miles (103 km) to Alexandria.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.77 square miles (2.00 km2), of which 0.76 square miles (1.96 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2), or 1.75%, is water.[4]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Columbia LA

Selecting the ideal physical therapy college is an important first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Columbia LA.