Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Gower MO

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Gower 64454

Gower MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Gower MO is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Gower MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Gower MO private practices, hospitals, 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 earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Gower MO health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Gower MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue 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 target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Gower MO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion 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 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 practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Gower MO Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Gower MO home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Gower MO area and across Missouri, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Gower MO physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Gower MO area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Missouri or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Gower MO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Gower healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Gower MO home. Those who have decided 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 concern. Something 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 need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Gower MO area, verify that they are offered. 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 carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gower Missouri?

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

Gower, Missouri

The Buchanan County portion of Gower is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Clinton County portion is part of the Kansas City, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,526 people, 561 households, and 408 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,526.0 inhabitants per square mile (589.2/km2). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 598.0 per square mile (230.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.4% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 561 households of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.3% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.08.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Gower MO

Choosing the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Gower MO.