Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clarks Summit PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Clarks Summit 18411

Clarks Summit PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Clarks Summit PA is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can 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, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Clarks Summit PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Clarks Summit PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Clarks Summit 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 thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Clarks Summit PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Clarks Summit PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out 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 current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clarks Summit PA Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, 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 requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Clarks Summit PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Clarks Summit PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned 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 enroll in an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist 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 recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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 as well. Call several Clarks Summit PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Clarks Summit PA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Clarks Summit PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Clarks Summit medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Clarks Summit PA home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Clarks Summit PA area, make certain that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure 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 Clarks Summit Pennsylvania?

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

Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

Clarks Summit is a borough in Lackawanna County northwest of Scranton in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,116 at the 2010 census. It is also the northern terminus of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, I-476.

The first settler in the area currently known as Clarks Summit was William Clark. Clark had fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill during the Revolutionary War, and as payment for his military service, he was issued 800 acres (3.2 km2) of Pennsylvania land by Congress. Because of disputes between Pennsylvania and Connecticut over the area of land that is now northern Pennsylvania (resulting in the Pennamite-Yankee War), the land deed issued to Clark was deemed invalid by the Luzerne County land grant office. Clark had no choice but to pay for the land himself. In March 1799, Clark and his three sons moved into a log cabin in the Abington wilderness, located on what is currently the Clarks Green Cemetery. The first school was built in 1893 and was destroyed by fire two years later.[3] The village of Clarks Summit and an adjacent tract of land were incorporated into the Borough of Clarks Summit on August 30, 1911.

There are many geological features that add appeal to the area of Clarks Summit. Many of the locals enjoy the plethora of natural lands and features during the warmer months. Clarks Summit area has four dams (Cobbs Lake Dam, Fords Lake Dam, Interlaken Dam, and Summit Lake Dam) that all have scenic bodies of water attached for many outdoor activities such as fishing and swimming. Moreover, Cummings Pond, Gravel Pond, and Lance Pond additionally offer many outdoor opportunities for residents and their families. Along with these lakes, ponds, and dams, there are also several reservoirs that are contained in the area. The area's four reservoirs serve as local hot spots for summer swimming and rope swings for much of Clarks Summit's youth. In addition to bodies of water, the area also services many hiking and walking locations throughout the borough. The area is home to Bald Mountain, Captain White Hill, Griffin Hill, Pinnacle Rock, West Mountain, Wilbur Hill, Summit Pointe, Waverly Community walking trail and many others.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy School near Clarks Summit PA

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college 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 options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Clarks Summit PA.