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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Bellwood 16617

Bellwood PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Bellwood PA is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Bellwood PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Bellwood PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Bellwood PA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Bellwood PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training 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 available in the Bellwood PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to progress 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 becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even 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 Bellwood PA Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bellwood PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many 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 motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Bellwood PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 choose an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’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 also. Get in touch with some Bellwood PA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you 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 submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once 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 Bellwood PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have relationships with Bellwood PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Bellwood health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Bellwood PA home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps 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 to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bellwood PA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bellwood Pennsylvania?

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

Bellwood, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), all of it land. Bellwood is a rural area situated in the Tuckahoe Valley, part of the Logan Valley area. Bellwood was originally called Bell's Mills.[4] The Borough of Bellwood is surrounded by the Township of Antis.

Bellwood's first resident was Edward Bell who moved here with his wife, mother, and father John Bell in 1806.[4] Edward Bell's son, Martin Bell, founded the Sabbath Rest Foundry located in Antis Township (Pinecroft) so-called because he invented a new way to stoke the fires and leave them burn Sunday without having any person attend to them.[4] Caedon Poe soon joined them and founded the Bellwood-Antis School District.[5]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 2,016 people, 776 households, and 555 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,361.8 people per square mile (1,692.1/km²). There were 822 housing units at an average density of 1,778.5 per square mile (689.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.81% White, 0.10% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Bellwood PA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to active 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 additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Bellwood PA.