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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Training Program near Davidsville 15928

Davidsville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Davidsville PA is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper 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 school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Davidsville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Davidsville PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Davidsville PA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several 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 profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Davidsville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable 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 descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Davidsville PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate 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 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Davidsville PA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure 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 in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Davidsville PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Davidsville PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the college 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 programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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. Contact a few Davidsville PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Davidsville PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have partnerships with Davidsville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Davidsville healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student 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 talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Davidsville PA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Davidsville PA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Davidsville Pennsylvania?

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

Davidsville, Pennsylvania

Davidsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,119 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. Davidsville is part of the municipality of Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, as are nearby towns of Jerome, Pennsylvania, Thomas Mills, Tire Hill, Seanor, Hyasota and part of Holsopple. Davidsville is Area code: 814 Exchange: 479; ZIP Code: 15928.

Davidsville is located at 40°13′36″N 78°56′12″W / 40.22667°N 78.93667°W / 40.22667; -78.93667Coordinates: 40°13′36″N 78°56′12″W / 40.22667°N 78.93667°W / 40.22667; -78.93667. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2), all of it land.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,119 people, 441 households, and 355 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 489.5 people per square mile (188.7/km²). There were 458 housing units at an average density of 200.3/sq mi (77.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.93% White, 0.09% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.09% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Davidsville PA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Davidsville PA.