Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Adamsburg PA

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Adamsburg 15611

Adamsburg PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Adamsburg PA is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. 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 also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Adamsburg PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Adamsburg PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Adamsburg PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Adamsburg PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Adamsburg PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Adamsburg PA While not as common 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 nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Adamsburg PA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, 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 ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, 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 Adamsburg PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 select an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Adamsburg PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once 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 Adamsburg PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with Adamsburg PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Adamsburg healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Adamsburg PA residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining 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 you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Adamsburg PA area, make certain 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 need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Adamsburg Pennsylvania?

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

Adamsburg, Pennsylvania

Adamsburg is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 172 at the 2010 census. The borough was named for John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States.[3]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 221 people, 84 households, and 63 families residing in the borough. The population density was 838.3 people per square mile (328.2/km²). There were 92 housing units at an average density of 349.0 per square mile (136.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.

There were 84 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.75.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Adamsburg PA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is an important first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Adamsburg PA.