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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Training Program near Norco 70079

Norco LA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Norco LA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding 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 must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Norco LA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Norco LA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Norco LA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Norco LA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Norco LA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Norco LA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Norco LA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Norco LA area and across Louisiana, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to make certain that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Norco LA physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean 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 help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Norco LA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Louisiana 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 therapist program. While 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 exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Norco LA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Norco medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Norco LA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Norco LA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out 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 Norco Louisiana?

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

Norco

Pick the Best Physical Therapy School near Norco LA

Choosing the best physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Norco LA.