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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Claysburg 16625

Claysburg PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Claysburg PA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Claysburg PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Claysburg PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Claysburg PA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Claysburg PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training 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 offered in the Claysburg PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training 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 practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 three years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Claysburg PA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Claysburg PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Claysburg PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Claysburg PA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might 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 colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Claysburg PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Claysburg PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Claysburg health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Claysburg PA residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Claysburg PA area, verify that they are offered. 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 carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Claysburg Pennsylvania?

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

Claysburg, Pennsylvania

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,503 people, 616 households, and 442 families residing in the CDP. There were 653 housing units at an average density of 254.9/sq mi (98.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.54% White, 0.13% African American, 0.33% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 616 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Claysburg PA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active 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 following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Claysburg PA.