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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Maiden 28650

Maiden NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Maiden NC is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Maiden NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Maiden 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Though 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.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Maiden NC health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Maiden NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Maiden NC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and often include 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Maiden NC Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Maiden NC home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring 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.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Maiden NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Maiden NC physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Maiden NC area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with Maiden NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Maiden healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher 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 some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Maiden NC residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Maiden NC area, confirm 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 have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Maiden North Carolina?

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

Maiden, North Carolina

Maiden was the first public high school in the state with an observatory[5] and is currently home to an Apple iCloud Data Center, covering 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2). In May 2012, Apple announced it would generate 60 percent of the Maiden facility's power itself, through a large deployment of fuel cells at the site and a 100-acre (40 ha) solar farm, with an additional 150-acre (61 ha) site 2 miles (3 km) away.[6]

The Catawba County portion of Maiden is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Lincoln County portion is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Metropolitan Area.

"The Biggest Little Football Town in the World" (as it has long called itself)[7] was incorporated on March 7, 1883 as a cotton mill site, and a trading center.[8] The name "Maiden" most likely is Native American in origin.[9]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Maiden NC

Selecting the right physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical 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 many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Maiden NC.