Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Delaware Water Gap PA

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Delaware Water Gap 18327

Delaware Water Gap PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Delaware Water Gap PA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure 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 closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Delaware Water Gap PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Delaware Water Gap 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 stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Delaware Water Gap PA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly 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

Delaware Water Gap PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Delaware Water Gap PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement 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 four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having 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 Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Delaware Water Gap PA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Delaware Water Gap PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Delaware Water Gap PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 choose an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Delaware Water Gap PA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest 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 assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Delaware Water Gap PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate 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 additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with Delaware Water Gap PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Delaware Water Gap health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Delaware Water Gap PA residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Delaware Water Gap PA area, check that they are available. 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 have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Delaware Water Gap Pennsylvania?

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

Delaware Water Gap

The Delaware Water Gap is a water gap on the border of the U.S. states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. The gap constitutes the southern portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which is used primarily for recreational purposes, such as rafting, canoeing, swimming, fishing, hiking, and rock climbing.

A water gap is a geological feature where a river cuts through a mountain ridge. The Delaware Water Gap began to form 500 million years ago[citation needed] when quartz pebbles from mountains in the area were deposited in a shallow sea. The Martinsburg Shale on the eastern side of what was to be Kittatinny Mountain was uplifted 450 million years ago when a chain of volcanic islands collided with proto-North America. These islands slid over the North American plate, and deposited rock on top of plate, forming the Highlands and Kittatinny Valley.

About 400 million years ago, a small, narrow continent collided with proto-North America. The heat from the pressure melted the quartzite, which allowed it to bend the quartz pebbles and Silurian Shawangunk Conglomerate. This layer was then uplifted and cracked over thousands of years. During this period, the Delaware River slowly cut its path down through the shattered and cracked quartzite. If the quartzite had not been cracked, the river would not have been able to cut its path through the mountain to form the gap.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Delaware Water Gap PA

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important 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 options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Delaware Water Gap PA.