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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Claremont 28610

Claremont NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Claremont NC is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Claremont NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Claremont NC hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Claremont NC medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Claremont NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable 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. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Claremont NC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students 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 becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Claremont NC Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many 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 in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Claremont NC residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Claremont NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received 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 choose an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. 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 Claremont NC physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It may also be prudent to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean 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 hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Claremont NC area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Claremont NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Claremont medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Claremont NC residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern 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 decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges 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 kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Claremont NC area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Claremont North Carolina?

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

Claremont, North Carolina

Claremont is located east of the center of Catawba County at 35°42′50″N 81°9′2″W / 35.71389°N 81.15056°W / 35.71389; -81.15056 (35.713752, -81.150661).[6]U.S. Route 70 passes through the center of town, leading west 4 miles (6 km) to Conover and east 4 miles (6 km) to Catawba. Interstate 40 passes just north of the town, with access from Exit 135. I-40 leads west 12 miles (19 km) to Hickory and east 16 miles (26 km) to Statesville.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,355 people, 456 households, and 300 families residing in the city. The population density was 542.0 people per square mile (159.7/km²). There were 492 housing units at an average density of 196.3 per square mile (75.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.66% White, 2.22% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.67% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.

There were 456 households out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.79.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Claremont NC

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Claremont NC.