Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Perkins OK

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Perkins 74059

Perkins OK physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Perkins OK is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Perkins OK physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Perkins OK private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Perkins OK health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several 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 field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Perkins OK physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one 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 advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Perkins OK area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Perkins OK Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Perkins OK home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Perkins OK area and across Oklahoma, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Perkins OK physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Oklahoma Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Perkins OK area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Oklahoma or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have relationships with Perkins OK clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Perkins healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller 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 prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students 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 Perkins OK home. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Perkins OK area, verify that they are available. 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 carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Perkins Oklahoma?

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

Perkins, Oklahoma

Perkins is a city in southern Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,831 at the 2010 census, an increase of 24.6 percent from 2,272 at the 2000 census.[3] The name is derived from Walden Perkins, a congressman who helped establish the local post office. The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma is headquartered here.[4]

Perkins was founded during the Land Run in April 1889. Joseph Wert staked a claim for 160 acres and offered up 40 acres of his land to be established as a township. The town went through three names in its first year- Cimarron, Italy, and then Perkins. The last name was for Bishop Walden Perkins, a congressman from Kansas who pulled strings to establish the post office for the new township. The town of Perkins incorporated on August 25, 1891.[4]

Though Perkins was settled in 1889, it celebrates Old Settlers Day around Sept 22. This is the anniversary of the Land Run of 1891. Being on the north side of the Cimarron River, it was one of the starting points for the Run of 1891. [5]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Perkins OK

Picking the right physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options 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 Perkins OK.