Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Boiling Springs PA

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Boiling Springs 17007

Boiling Springs PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Boiling Springs PA is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Boiling Springs PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Boiling Springs PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Boiling Springs PA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Boiling Springs PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Boiling Springs PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently 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 attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Boiling Springs PA Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more 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 close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Boiling Springs PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Boiling Springs PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to make certain that you select the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools 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 colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 enroll in an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact some Boiling Springs PA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be a good idea 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 two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Boiling Springs PA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have relationships with Boiling Springs PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Boiling Springs medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Boiling Springs PA residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Boiling Springs PA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Boiling Springs Pennsylvania?

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

Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania

Boiling Springs is a census-designated place (CDP) in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Harrisburg metropolitan area. The population was 3,225 at the 2010 census,[1] up from 2,769 at the 2000 census.

Boiling Springs is located on the eastern side of South Middleton Township at 40°09′25″N 77°07′57″W / 40.156884°N 77.132609°W / 40.156884; -77.132609,[2] on the north side of Yellow Breeches Creek. Pennsylvania Route 174 passes through the town as 1st Street and leads 8 miles (13 km) northeast to Mechanicsburg and west 22 miles (35 km) to Shippensburg. Carlisle, the Cumberland County seat, is 6 miles (10 km) to the northwest via Front Street/Forge Road.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.48 square miles (6.43 km2), of which 2.47 square miles (6.39 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2), or 0.49%, is water.[1]

Select the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Boiling Springs PA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Boiling Springs PA.