How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Chandler 74834

Receiving a physical therapy degree near Chandler OK is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. 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’s Job Description?

Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Chandler OK private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Chandler OK health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for 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 rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Chandler OK area:

• Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Chandler OK residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Chandler OK area and throughout Oklahoma, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program 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 enroll in an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Chandler OK physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Oklahoma Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Chandler OK area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Oklahoma or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have relationships with Chandler OK hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Chandler healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Chandler OK home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern 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 decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Chandler OK area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Chandler Oklahoma?

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

Pick the Right Physical Therapy School near Chandler OK

Choosing the right physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Chandler OK.

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