Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Moorhead MS

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Moorhead 38761

Moorhead MS physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapist degree near Moorhead MS is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Moorhead MS physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in varying settings, such as Moorhead MS hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues 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
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Moorhead MS health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Moorhead MS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Moorhead MS area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available 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 existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Moorhead MSAlthough not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Moorhead MS residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Moorhead MS area and throughout Mississippi, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

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 a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Moorhead MS physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It may also be a good idea 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 Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Moorhead MS area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Mississippi 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 program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Moorhead MS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Moorhead medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average 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 an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Moorhead MS home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Moorhead MS area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Moorhead Mississippi?

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

Moorhead, Mississippi

Moorhead is along U.S. Route 82, east of Indianola. Moorhead is located at the intersection of the Southern and Yazoo Delta railroads. This is the origin of the legendary blues crossroads phrase "where the Southern cross the Dog".[2]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,405 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 82.2% Black, 16.3% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian and 0.2% from two or more races. 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 2,573 people, 688 households, and 520 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,988.9 people per square mile (770.1/km²). There were 720 housing units at an average density of 556.6 per square mile (215.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 20.44% White, 78.97% African American, 0.19% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Moorhead MS

Choosing the right physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish 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 field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Moorhead MS.

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