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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Lewisburg 45338

Lewisburg OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Lewisburg OH is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Lewisburg OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Lewisburg OH hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Lewisburg OH medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Lewisburg OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Lewisburg OH area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lewisburg OH Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lewisburg OH residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer 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 Lewisburg OH area and across Ohio, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at 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 choose an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Lewisburg OH physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college 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 filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lewisburg OH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Ohio or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Lewisburg OH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Lewisburg health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Lewisburg OH home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lewisburg OH area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lewisburg Ohio?

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

Lewisburg, Ohio

Lewisburg is a village in Preble County, Ohio, United States, founded in 1818. The current village incorporates two prior villages, the original Lewisburg and Euphemia, which merged in 1916. The population was 1,820 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The community was named for Lewisburg, Virginia (now in West Virginia). In about 1836, pioneer John Mumma founded the community of Euphemia, named for his wife, to the north of Lewisburg on the National Road. The villages officially merged on April 4, 1916, and the combined community retained the name of Lewisburg.[7]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,820 people, 710 households, and 505 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,700.9 inhabitants per square mile (656.7/km2). There were 781 housing units at an average density of 729.9 per square mile (281.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.1% White, 0.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near Lewisburg OH

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Lewisburg OH.