Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Fremont NE

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Fremont 68025

Fremont NE physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Fremont NE is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Fremont NE physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Fremont NE private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of 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 design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Fremont NE health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Fremont NE physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Fremont NE area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare 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 practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fremont NE Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Fremont NE home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Fremont NE area and throughout Nebraska, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 can also obtain 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. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’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 agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Fremont NE physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Nebraska Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Fremont NE area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Nebraska or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Fremont NE hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Fremont healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Fremont NE residence. Those 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. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Fremont NE area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fremont Nebraska?

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

Fremont, Nebraska

Fremont is a city in Dodge County in the eastern portion of the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. The population was 26,397 at the 2010 census. Fremont is the county seat and the home of Midland University.

From the 1830s to the 1860s, the area saw a great deal of traffic due to the Mormon Trail, which passed along the north bank of the Platte River. A ferry connected the two banks of the Elkhorn River near Fremont. It was a major overland route for emigrant settlers going to the West, the military and hunters.

Fremont was laid out in 1856 in anticipation that the railroad would be extended to that site.[6] It was named after the American explorer, politician and military official General John C. Frémont.[7][8] By 1857, there were 13 log houses in the town. The Union Pacific Railroad reached the town in 1866 becoming the first railroad into the future rail hub. Sioux City and Pacific Railroad completed track into the town in 1868 with the Elkhorn Valley Railroad arriving in 1869.[9]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Fremont NE

Choosing the right physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Fremont NE.