Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Doylestown OH

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Doylestown 44230

Doylestown OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Doylestown OH is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Doylestown OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Doylestown OH hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Doylestown OH medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Doylestown OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Doylestown OH area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding 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 Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Doylestown OH While not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs 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 close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Doylestown OH residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Doylestown OH area and across Ohio, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. 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 may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Doylestown OH physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Ohio Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Doylestown OH area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Ohio or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have partnerships with Doylestown OH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally 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 Doylestown medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Doylestown OH home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously 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 keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, 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 choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Doylestown OH area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Doylestown Ohio?

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

Doylestown, Ohio

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 3,051 people, 1,206 households, and 827 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,622.9 inhabitants per square mile (626.6/km2). There were 1,292 housing units at an average density of 687.2 per square mile (265.3/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.9% White, 0.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 1,206 households of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age in the village was 41.6 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Doylestown OH

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Doylestown OH.