Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Oak Grove MO

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Oak Grove 64075

Oak Grove MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Oak Grove MO is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Oak Grove MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Oak Grove MO private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Oak Grove MO medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Oak Grove MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Oak Grove MO area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Oak Grove MO While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of 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 college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Oak Grove MO home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Oak Grove MO area and throughout Missouri, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 can also receive 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. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several 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 search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Oak Grove MO physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate 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 help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Oak Grove MO area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Missouri 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 school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Oak Grove MO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Oak Grove healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Oak Grove MO residence. Individuals who have chosen 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. Something to bear 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Oak Grove MO area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Oak Grove Missouri?

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

Oak Grove

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Oak Grove MO

Picking the right physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Oak Grove MO.