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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near North Lewisburg 43060

North Lewisburg OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near North Lewisburg OH is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

North Lewisburg OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including North Lewisburg OH hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other North Lewisburg OH medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage 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 getting into the physical therapy profession, 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 Therapist Degrees Offered

North Lewisburg OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the North Lewisburg OH area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in North Lewisburg OH Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s North Lewisburg OH residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the North Lewisburg OH area and across Ohio, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned 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 school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’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 agencies for their reviews also. Call several North Lewisburg OH physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Ohio Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the North Lewisburg OH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Ohio 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 therapy college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with North Lewisburg OH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the North Lewisburg medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools 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 a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their North Lewisburg OH residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern 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 school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need 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 Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the North Lewisburg OH area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near North Lewisburg Ohio?

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

North Lewisburg, Ohio

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,490 people, 593 households, and 389 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,295.7 inhabitants per square mile (500.3/km2). There were 679 housing units at an average density of 590.4 per square mile (228.0/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.6% White, 0.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.

There were 593 households of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.11.

The median age in the village was 35.4 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.5% male and 49.5% female.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near North Lewisburg OH

Choosing the best physical therapist program is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in North Lewisburg OH.