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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Training Program near Adamstown 19501

Adamstown PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Adamstown PA is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Adamstown PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Adamstown PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression 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.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Adamstown PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Adamstown PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered 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 concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Adamstown PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Adamstown PA Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Adamstown PA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Adamstown PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. 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 search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Adamstown PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice 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 submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After 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 Adamstown PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have associations with Adamstown PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Adamstown medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Adamstown PA home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program 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 usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Adamstown PA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Adamstown Pennsylvania?

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

Adamstown, Pennsylvania

Adamstown (Pennsylvania Dutch: Adamschteddel) is a borough in Lancaster County which has grown into Berks County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[3] The population was 1,789 at the 2010 census. Of this, 1,772 were in Lancaster County, and only 17 were in Berks County.

It was initially founded on 4 July 1761 by William Addams on the site of a former village of Native Americans, and Addams named the community "Addamsburry". The community was incorporated as a borough on 2 April 1850.[4]

The town promotes itself as the "antiques capital of the United States" because it attracts many antiques dealers and collectors. Adamstown is home to the Stoudt's Brewery, Pennsylvania's first microbrewery, which was established here in 1987. The town is also home to the US's oldest hat manufacturer, the Bollman Hat Company, which was established in 1868.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist College near Adamstown PA

Deciding on the right physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk with 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 additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Adamstown PA.