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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Martinsburg 65264

Martinsburg MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Martinsburg MO is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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’s Job Description?

Martinsburg MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Martinsburg MO private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Martinsburg MO medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Martinsburg MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Martinsburg MO area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Martinsburg MO While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Martinsburg MO home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and costs 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.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Martinsburg MO area and throughout Missouri, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Martinsburg MO physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to contact the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once 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 Martinsburg MO area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Missouri or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Martinsburg MO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Martinsburg healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Martinsburg MO residence. 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 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 often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Martinsburg MO area, check that they are available. 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, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Martinsburg Missouri?

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

Martinsburg, Missouri

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 304 people, 137 households, and 87 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,125.9 inhabitants per square mile (434.7/km2). There were 152 housing units at an average density of 563.0 per square mile (217.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.0% White, 1.0% African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 137 households of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in the city was 43.3 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.3% were from 45 to 64; and 24.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.0% male and 48.0% female.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Martinsburg MO

Selecting the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current 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 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 proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Martinsburg MO.