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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Ozark 65721

Ozark MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Ozark MO is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Ozark MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Ozark MO private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Ozark MO medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Ozark MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to become 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 brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Ozark MO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Ozark MO While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated 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 comfort and convenience of the student’s Ozark MO home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Ozark MO area and throughout Missouri, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Ozark MO physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school options. It may 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 Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Ozark MO area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Missouri or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Ozark MO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive 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 assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Ozark medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing 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 final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Ozark MO home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online obviously 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 choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Ozark MO area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check 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 Ozark Missouri?

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

Ozark, Missouri

Ozark, incorporated in 1890, is a city in Christian County, Missouri, United States. The population was 17,820 at the 2010 census. As of 2015, the population was 19,120. (Census Bureau Estimate) It is the county seat of Christian County.[6] Ozark is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area, and is centered along a business loop of U.S. Route 65, where it intersects with Missouri Route 14. It is south of Springfield and north of Branson.

Ozark is located at 37°1′38″N 93°12′34″W / 37.02722°N 93.20944°W / 37.02722; -93.20944 (37.027111, −93.209572).[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.15 square miles (28.88 km2), of which, 11.10 square miles (28.75 km2) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 17,820 people, 6,603 households, and 4,689 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,605.4 inhabitants per square mile (619.8/km2). There were 7,311 housing units at an average density of 658.6 per square mile (254.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.2% White, 0.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Ozark MO

Picking the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize 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 options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Ozark MO.