Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Burgaw NC

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Burgaw 28425

Burgaw NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Burgaw NC is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Burgaw NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Burgaw NC private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address 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 abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Burgaw NC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Burgaw NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Burgaw NC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to advance 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 practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom 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 taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Burgaw NC Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Burgaw NC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Burgaw NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Burgaw NC physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Burgaw NC area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. 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 program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Burgaw NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Burgaw health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly 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 student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Burgaw NC residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Burgaw NC area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask 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 Burgaw North Carolina?

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

Burgaw, North Carolina

On May 1, 2013 the Burgaw Police Department had 21 employees, but by April 22, 2015 it had lost 14 of them. As of April 22, 2015 it had no police chief and the town officials are asking for police recruits.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,337 people, 954 households, and 649 families residing in the town. The population density was 971.6 people per square mile (375.6/km²). There were 1,051 housing units at an average density of 306.0 per square mile (118.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 51.21% White, 44.89% African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 2.10% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.50% of the population.

There were 954 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.92.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Burgaw NC

Picking the right physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Burgaw NC.