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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist School near Rex 28378

Rex NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Rex NC is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Rex NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Rex NC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Rex NC health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Rex NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Rex NC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some 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. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rex NC Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Rex NC residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Rex NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 school, 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 simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Rex NC physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It might 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First 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 help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Rex NC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. In every 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 PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Rex NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific 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 can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Rex healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher 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 pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Rex NC residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online 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 keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer 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 finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Rex NC area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rex North Carolina?

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

Rex, North Carolina

Rex is a census-designated place (CDP) in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 55 at the 2010 census, and Rex ranked 4th on the list of the highest-income places in the United States.

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 55 people, 17 households, and 13 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 74.7 people per square mile (28.7/km²). There were 17 housing units at an average density of 23.1/sq mi (8.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 47.27% White, 40.00% African American, 9.09% Native American, and 3.64% from two or more races.

There were 17 households out of which 52.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 5.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.69.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Rex NC

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Rex NC.