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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Carnegie 15106

Carnegie PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Carnegie PA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Carnegie PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Carnegie PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped 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 due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Carnegie PA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Carnegie PA Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Carnegie PA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Carnegie PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received 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 school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Carnegie PA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It may 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 Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Carnegie PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Carnegie PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Carnegie medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher 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 converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Carnegie PA home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program 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 usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Carnegie PA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol 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 Carnegie Pennsylvania?

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

Carnegie, Pennsylvania

Carnegie is located at 40°24′25″N 80°5′12″W / 40.40694°N 80.08667°W / 40.40694; -80.08667. It is approximately 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. Chartiers Creek runs through the center of the borough.

Carnegie is named after Andrew Carnegie, who donated one of his libraries for the gesture.[5] It was incorporated on March 1, 1894.[6] from the boroughs of Chartiers and Mansfield (separated by Chartiers Creek). Later, the borough annexed part of Robinson Township (now Rosslyn Heights). Neighborhoods include Rosslyn Heights, Cubbage Hill, Irishtown, Forsythe Hill, Library Hill, and Old Mansfield.

Many neighborhoods were at one time or another mined for coal. The main employers were steel mills such as Superior Steel & Union Electric Steel. Carnegie had a rail yard that had connections to several railroads early in the twentieth century, including the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal railroad, and the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the 1970s, Carnegie suffered economically with the closure of the great steel mills such as J & L in and around Pittsburgh.

Select the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Carnegie PA

Choosing the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Carnegie PA.