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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Haughton 71037

Haughton LA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Haughton LA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Haughton LA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Haughton LA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Haughton LA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Haughton LA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Haughton LA 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 obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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 United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Haughton LA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Haughton LA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Haughton LA area and throughout Louisiana, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you select the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting 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 some Haughton LA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Louisiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean 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 assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Haughton LA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Louisiana or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Haughton LA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Haughton healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. 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 converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Haughton LA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. 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 might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Haughton LA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Haughton Louisiana?

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

Haughton, Louisiana

Haughton is located at 32°31′48″N 93°30′23″W / 32.53000°N 93.50639°W / 32.53000; -93.50639 (32.530016, -93.506350),[4] 15 miles (24 km) east of Bossier City and 17 miles (27 km) east of Shreveport. Interstate 20 touches the northwest corner of the town, with access from Exit 33 (Elm Street).

As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 3,454 people, 420 households, and 959 families residing in the town. The population density was 822.4 people per square mile (317.5/km²). There were 1,417 housing units in total. The racial makeup of the town was 78.2% White, 18.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.420 Asian, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 420 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.03.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Haughton LA

Picking the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Haughton LA.