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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Misenheimer 28109

Misenheimer NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Misenheimer NC is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just 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 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Misenheimer NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Misenheimer NC private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Misenheimer NC health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Misenheimer NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Misenheimer NC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and commonly 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Misenheimer NC While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Misenheimer NC home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Misenheimer NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final 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 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Misenheimer NC physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Misenheimer NC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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. 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? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Misenheimer NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Misenheimer medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

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

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Misenheimer NC area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Misenheimer North Carolina?

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

Misenheimer, North Carolina

Misenheimer is an incorporated village in Stanly County, North Carolina. It is in the southern Piedmont region of North Carolina, near the city of Richfield. The population was 728 as of the 2010 Census.

The college town is dominated by the main campus of Pfeiffer University, a university which was upgraded from a high school to a college largely due to financial support by Henry and Annie Merner Pfeiffer of NY. Pfeiffer also housed Gray Stone Day School, a charter high school. On January 6, 2011, Gray Stone moved to its new campus on what was previously Pfeiffer land in the town.

U.S. Route 52 passes through Misenheimer along its route from Salisbury to Albemarle, and bisects the Pfeiffer campus along with a Norfolk Southern Railroad line. Misenheimer may have been the only municipality in America whose only traffic light is not at an intersection of two or more streets, but at a crosswalk to accommodate pedestrian traffic (the crosswalk being across US 52 connecting the two parts of Pfeiffer's campus on opposite sides of the highway).

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Misenheimer NC

Picking the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Misenheimer NC.