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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Stanton 68779

Stanton NE physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Stanton NE is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Stanton NE physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Stanton NE private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Stanton NE health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Stanton NE physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students 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 focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Stanton NE area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Stanton NE While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Stanton NE home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, including 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 considering there are so many PT colleges within the Stanton NE area and throughout Nebraska, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting 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 also. Get in touch with some Stanton NE physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Nebraska Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Stanton NE area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Nebraska 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 therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have associations with Stanton NE hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Stanton medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller 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 prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Stanton NE residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. 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 may 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Stanton NE area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Stanton Nebraska?

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

Stanton, Nebraska

Stanton is a city in Stanton County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stanton County.[6] Stanton was platted in 1870.[7] Both the city and county are named after Edwin McMasters Stanton, secretary of war for president Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.[8]

Stanton is located at 41°57′00″N 97°13′23″W / 41.95000°N 97.22306°W / 41.95000; -97.22306.[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.74 square miles (4.51 km2), all of it land.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,577 people, 668 households, and 424 families residing in the city. The population density was 906.3 inhabitants per square mile (349.9/km2). There were 730 housing units at an average density of 419.5 per square mile (162.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.6% White, 0.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Stanton NE

Deciding on the right physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize 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 choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Stanton NE.