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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Sunbury 27979

Sunbury NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Sunbury NC is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Sunbury NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Sunbury NC private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Sunbury NC health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather 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 Degrees

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

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sunbury NC Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so 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 an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Sunbury NC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Sunbury NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 select an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have outstanding 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 reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Sunbury NC physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest 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 hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Sunbury NC area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with Sunbury NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Sunbury medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Sunbury NC home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Sunbury NC area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sunbury North Carolina?

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

Glen Raven, Inc.

Glen Raven, Inc. is a fabric manufacturing and marketing company. The company is headquartered in Glen Raven, North Carolina and headed by Leib Oehmig, who took over after Allen Erwin Gant, Jr., the grandson of John Quintin Gant and founder of the industry advocacy group National Council of Textile Organizations, retired.[1] Glen Raven has operations in the United States, France, and China.

John Quintin Gant entered the dry goods retail business in Company Shops, NC (Burlington) in 1872 and opened the John Q. Gant & Co. Gant sold his interest in the company in 1880 and then partnered with Berry Davidson to build the Altamahaw Cotton Mills in Alamance County, NC. The company was founded as John Q. Gant Manufacturing Co. in 1900 by John Quintin Gant (1847–1930), and by 1902, the company’s name was changed to Glen Raven Cotton Mills.[2][3]

The company began manufacturing cotton duck awning fabrics in 1908 and developing pantyhose in 1953. Panti-Tights and Panti-Legs are introduced as the first commercial ladies pantyhose in 1959. In 1965, Glen Raven developed a seamless pantyhose that became popular due to the introduction of the miniskirt.[4] Glen Raven exited the hosiery business in 1996. The company was also known for making duck cloth used in tents for World War I and making tent canvas, power bags, and parachute cloth for World War II.[3]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Sunbury NC

Choosing the best physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with 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 following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Sunbury NC.