How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Tupelo 38801

Getting a physical therapist degree near Tupelo MS is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. 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?

Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Tupelo MS private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Strokes.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• Burn injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Tupelo MS medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable 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 advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Tupelo MS area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs 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 portion of the curriculum.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Tupelo MS home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Tupelo MS area and throughout Mississippi, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received 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 choose an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Tupelo 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 selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Mississippi Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Tupelo MS area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Tupelo MS hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Tupelo medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Tupelo MS residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes 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 decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Tupelo MS area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need 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 Tupelo Mississippi?

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

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Tupelo MS

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Tupelo MS.

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