How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Catawissa 17820

Getting a physical therapist degree near Catawissa PA is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number 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 the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Catawissa PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Osteoporosis and Arthritis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Sports injuries.
• Fire injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Catawissa PA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, 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 Degrees Offered

There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Catawissa PA area:

• Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near 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 Catawissa PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly 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 advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Catawissa PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to 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 Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Catawissa PA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Catawissa PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare 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 Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Catawissa PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Catawissa healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Catawissa PA home. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Catawissa PA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify 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 because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Catawissa Pennsylvania?

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

Select the Right Physical Therapist College near Catawissa PA

Picking the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Catawissa PA.

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