Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Maben MS

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Maben 39750

Maben MS physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Maben MS is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a college 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 evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Maben MS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Maben MS hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Maben MS health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Maben MS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Maben MS area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Maben MS While not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Maben MS home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures 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 dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Maben MS area and across Mississippi, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask 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 enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple 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 rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Maben MS physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school options. It may also be prudent to check with the Mississippi Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Maben MS area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Mississippi or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Maben MS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Maben medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Maben MS residence. Individuals who have chosen 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 importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Maben MS area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Maben Mississippi?

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

Maben, Mississippi

Maben is located at 33°33′24″N 89°05′01″W / 33.556772°N 89.083647°W / 33.556772; -89.083647 (33.556772, -89.083647).[3] Most of the town is in Oktibbeha County, with a portion on the west side in adjacent Webster County[4] In the 2000 census, 542 of the town's 803 residents (67.5%) lived in Oktibbeha County and 261 (32.5%) in Webster County.[5]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 803 people, 306 households, and 211 families residing in the town. The population density was 412.4 people per square mile (159.0/km2). There were 328 housing units at an average density of 168.4 per square mile (64.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 41.22% White, 57.91% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.25% of the population.

There were 306 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.4% were married couples living together, 35.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.16.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist College near Maben MS

Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Maben MS.