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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Collegeville 19426

Collegeville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Collegeville PA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. 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 the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Collegeville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Collegeville PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Collegeville PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering 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 Degree Options

Collegeville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered 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 descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Collegeville PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Collegeville PA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, 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 close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Collegeville PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Collegeville PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy 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 ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Collegeville PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see 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 need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Collegeville PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Collegeville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Collegeville medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Collegeville PA home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Collegeville PA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Collegeville Pennsylvania?

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

Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Collegeville is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia on the Perkiomen Creek. Collegeville was incorporated in 1896. It is the location of Ursinus College, opened in 1869. The population was 5,089 at the 2010 census.

The area which is present day Collegeville was part of the original William Penn purchase of "All the land lying on the Pahkehoma" in 1684. In 1799, Perkiomen Bridge was constructed using funds raised from a special lottery approved by the Pennsylvania Legislature. When the first post office in this area was established in 1847, it was called Perkiomen Bridge. In 1832, the first school for primary and secondary students was established and it was later renamed Freeland Public School in 1844. In 1848, Henry A. Hunsicker built the "Freeland Seminary of Perkiomen Bridge." Village around the school became known as Freeland. In 1851, Abraham Hunsicker established the Pennsylvania Female College near present day Glenwood Avenue. Ten years later, in 1861, the post office was moved and renamed Freeland.

When the trains first arrived in the area in 1868, there was a debate about naming of the station (Perkiomen Bridge vs Freeland). The local citizens had acquired notoriety when they had burned down the toll booth on the Perkiomen Bridge and thrown the gate into the river. The rail company avoided any troubles by naming it "Collegeville" (the station was actually closer to the Pennsylvania Female College than either Freeland School or Perkiomen Bridge). Ursinus College was founded a year later in 1869. Thus the name "Collegeville" precedes the establishment of Ursinus College and it is actually named after the other 4 year liberal arts college (Pennsylvania Female College) which closed in 1880. Collegeville was incorporated as Borough in 1896.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy College near Collegeville PA

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However 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 therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Collegeville PA.