Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Seaside OR

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Seaside 97138

Seaside OR physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Seaside OR is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Seaside OR physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Seaside OR hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive 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
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Seaside OR health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Seaside OR physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Seaside OR area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer offered 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 mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Seaside OR While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Seaside OR home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Seaside OR area and across Oregon, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Seaside OR physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Oregon Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Seaside OR area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Oregon or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Seaside OR hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Seaside healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing 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 an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Seaside OR home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Seaside OR area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn 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 Seaside Oregon?

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

Seaside

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Seaside OR

Selecting the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak with current 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 adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Seaside OR.