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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Cameron 28326

Cameron NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Cameron NC is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Cameron NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Cameron NC hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Cameron NC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Cameron NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Cameron NC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cameron NC While not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Cameron NC residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Cameron NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 select an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing 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 Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Cameron NC physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It may also be prudent to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out 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 Cameron NC area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with 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 performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have partnerships with Cameron NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Cameron health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large 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 undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering 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 decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Cameron NC residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cameron NC area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cameron North Carolina?

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

Cameron, North Carolina

Cameron grew up around a plank road that was followed in later years by a railroad. The town was planned in 1875 and incorporated in 1876. Cameron was at the end of the Raleigh and Augusta Railroad. Its location made it an ideal place of entrepreneurs to establish businesses. They built turpentine distilleries, established mercantile and hotel businesses to serve the needs of the railroad's customers and built a thriving dewberry farming and consignment operation.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 151 people, 66 households, and 41 families residing in the town. The population density was 143.8 people per square mile (55.5/km²). There were 78 housing units at an average density of 74.3 per square mile (28.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 64.90% White and 35.10% Black.

There were 66 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.88.

Select the Best Physical Therapist School near Cameron NC

Picking the right physical therapist school is an important initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Cameron NC.