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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Trinity 27370

Trinity NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Trinity NC is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Trinity NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Trinity 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 earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Trinity NC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Trinity NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Trinity NC area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training 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 essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Trinity NC Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Trinity NC residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Trinity NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 choose an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Trinity NC physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. 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 filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Trinity NC area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have associations with Trinity NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Trinity healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor 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 as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Trinity NC residence. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep 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 may 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 to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Trinity NC area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Trinity North Carolina?

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

Trinity, North Carolina

The community was named after Trinity College, which later became Duke University. The "World's Longest Hot Wheels Track" was built at the Kyle Petty Farm in Trinity, North Carolina, on May 9, 1999. Sealy Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer of bedding products with sales of $1.2 billion in 2003, is headquartered in Trinity, North Carolina. Former baseball player Gil English died in Trinity, North Carolina. Trinity is also home to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Bobby Labonte, Brian Vickers and Kyle Petty.

Trinity College, later Duke University, started as Brown's Schoolhouse, a private subscription school founded in 1838. The school was organized by a group of Methodists and Quakers, and was officially started by Hezekiah Leigh; the same Leigh who is widely recognized as the founder of Randolph-Macon College. In 1841 North Carolina issued a charter for Union Institute Academy. The school took the name Trinity College in 1859, and in 1892, Trinity moved to Durham.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.0 square miles (44 km2), of which, 16.9 square miles (44 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.59%) is water.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Trinity NC

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Trinity NC.