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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Polkton 28135

Polkton NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Polkton NC is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet 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 residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Polkton NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Polkton NC private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Polkton NC health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, 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 Therapy Degrees Available

Polkton NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Polkton NC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed 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 important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 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 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 investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Polkton NC Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Polkton NC home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Polkton NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy 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 organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated 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 pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 also. Call some Polkton NC physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Polkton NC area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose furnishes both excellent 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Polkton NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Polkton health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Polkton NC home. 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 local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 schools supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Polkton NC area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. 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 Polkton North Carolina?

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

Polkton, North Carolina

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,195 people, 297 households, and 206 families residing in the town. The population density was 438.5 people per square mile (169.0/km²). There were 336 housing units at an average density of 123.3/sq mi (47.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 56.32% African American, 40.08% White, 1.34% Asian, 1.26% Native American, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.17% of the population.

There were 297 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the town, the population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 42.5% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 185.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 217.3 males.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Polkton NC

Selecting the best physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing 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 training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Polkton NC.