How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Belhaven 27810

Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Belhaven NC is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Belhaven NC hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Strokes.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Belhaven NC health specialists, 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. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely 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

There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Belhaven NC area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to become 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so 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 nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Belhaven NC residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Belhaven NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited?  Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it can also earn 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 through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Belhaven NC physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out 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 help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Belhaven NC 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 get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ 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 additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Belhaven NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Belhaven health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Belhaven NC home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program 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 generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Belhaven NC area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Belhaven North Carolina?

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

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Belhaven NC

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach 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 field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Belhaven NC.

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