Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cottage Grove OR

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Cottage Grove 97424

Cottage Grove OR physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Cottage Grove OR is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school 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 evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Cottage Grove OR physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Cottage Grove OR private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Cottage Grove OR health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more 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 going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Cottage Grove OR physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Cottage Grove OR area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cottage Grove OR While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cottage Grove OR residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Cottage Grove OR area and throughout Oregon, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 enroll in an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Cottage Grove OR physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Oregon Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cottage Grove OR area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Oregon 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 therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Cottage Grove OR clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on experience 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 graduates and students form professional connections in the Cottage Grove health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Cottage Grove OR residence. Individuals 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 concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cottage Grove OR area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cottage Grove Oregon?

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

Cottage Grove, Oregon

Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was 9,686 at the 2010 census.[6] Cottage Grove is the third largest city in Lane County. The city is located on Interstate 5, Oregon Route 99, and the main Willamette Valley line of the Union Pacific railroad.[7]

Cottage Grove post office was established in 1855 east of present-day Creswell.[8] The office was named by its first postmaster, G. C. Pearce, whose home was in an oak grove.[8] In 1861, the office was moved to the present site of Saginaw.[8] In the late 1860s, the office was moved to what is now the extreme southwestern part of present-day Cottage Grove, on the west bank of the Coast Fork Willamette River.[8] When the Southern Pacific railroad was built through the area in the 1870s, Cottage Grove station was placed more than half a mile northeast of the post office, on the east side of the river.[8][9] This was the start of a neighborhood dispute that lasted for nearly 20 years.[8] The people living near the post office did not want it moved to the railroad station, so a new office was established at the station with the name Lemati, which is a Chinook Jargon word that means "mountain".[8] Lemati office ran from November 1893 to September 1894, but in March 1898 the Cottage Grove office was renamed Lemati and it ran that way until being permanently renamed Cottage Grove in May 1898.[8]

The city was incorporated in 1887, but the people living on the east side rebelled in 1893 and founded East Cottage Grove.[8] The Oregon State Legislature changed the name of the place to Lemati in 1895, and the signboard for the station listed Cottage Grove, as well as Lemati in smaller letters.[8] In 1899 an act was passed that consolidated the two towns under the name Cottage Grove.[8]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Cottage Grove OR

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Cottage Grove OR.