Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Gardnerville NV

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Gardnerville 89410

Gardnerville NV physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Gardnerville NV is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Gardnerville NV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Gardnerville NV private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Gardnerville NV health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Gardnerville NV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Gardnerville NV area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Gardnerville NV While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Gardnerville NV home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Gardnerville NV area and across Nevada, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 enroll in an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’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 school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Gardnerville NV physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Nevada 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 Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Gardnerville NV area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Nevada or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Gardnerville NV hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain hands on training 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 form professional relationships in the Gardnerville medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average 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 converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Gardnerville NV residence. Students 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 keep 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 might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Gardnerville NV area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gardnerville Nevada?

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

Gardnerville, Nevada

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 3,357 people, 1,473 households, and 870 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 699.9 people per square mile (270.0/km²). There were 1,556 housing units at an average density of 324.4 per square mile (125.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.93% White, 0.45% African American, 1.07% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 5.30% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.83% of the population.

There were 1,473 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Gardnerville NV

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk to active 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Gardnerville NV.