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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Ridgeland 39157

Ridgeland MS physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Ridgeland MS is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate 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 college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Ridgeland MS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Ridgeland MS hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement 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.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Ridgeland MS medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Ridgeland MS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available 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. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Ridgeland MS area:

Associate Degrees educate 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 be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Ridgeland MS While not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature 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. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Ridgeland MS home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many 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 disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Ridgeland MS area and across Mississippi, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned 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 enroll in an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring 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 Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Ridgeland MS physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Mississippi Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, 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 Ridgeland 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 exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Mississippi or the state where you will be working. 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 college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Ridgeland MS hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Ridgeland medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Ridgeland MS residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Ridgeland MS area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Ridgeland Mississippi?

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

Ridgeland, Mississippi

Ridgeland is located at 32°25′8″N 90°7′30″W / 32.41889°N 90.12500°W / 32.41889; -90.12500 (32.418847, -90.124933),[3] between Madison to the north and Jackson to the south. This suburban community enjoys its location adjacent to the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.7 square miles (46 km2), of which 15.9 square miles (41 km2) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2) (10.16%) is water, mostly due to the location of the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 24,047 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 57.5% White, 32.5% Black, 0.2% Native American, 4.0% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race and 1.0% from two or more races. 4.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Ridgeland MS

Choosing the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college 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 field 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 Ridgeland MS.