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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Wallace 28466

Wallace NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Wallace NC is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate training and education. 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 research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy 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 the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Wallace NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Wallace NC private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Wallace NC medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Wallace NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, 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. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Wallace NC area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 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 created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress 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. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 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 existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wallace NC Although not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Wallace NC residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses 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 ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, including 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 invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Wallace NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges 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 select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Wallace NC physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Wallace NC area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential 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 working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have associations with Wallace NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Wallace healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Wallace NC residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Wallace NC area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Wallace North Carolina?

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

Wallace, North Carolina

Wallace is located in southern Duplin County at 34°44′14″N 77°59′41″W / 34.73722°N 77.99472°W / 34.73722; -77.99472 (34.737248, -77.994627).[6] The town limits extend south into Pender County.

U.S. Route 117 passes through the center of town, leading north 19 miles (31 km) to Warsaw and south 15 miles (24 km) to Burgaw. North Carolina Highway 41 crosses US 117 in the center of Wallace, and leads northeast 14 miles (23 km) to Chinquapin and west 14 miles (23 km) to Harrells. Interstate 40 passes east of Wallace, with access from Exit 390 (US 117 4 miles (6 km) south of town) and Exit 385 (NC 41 3 miles (5 km) east of town). I-40 leads south 44 miles (71 km) to Wilmington and north 89 miles (143 km) to Raleigh.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,344 people, 1,329 households, and 862 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,299.5 people per square mile (502.4/km²). There were 1,440 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile (216.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 55.65% White, 28.26% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 14.06% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.18% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Wallace NC

Picking the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Wallace NC.