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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Training Program near Elizabeth 15037

Elizabeth PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Elizabeth PA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Elizabeth PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Elizabeth 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement 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.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Elizabeth PA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Elizabeth PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Elizabeth PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. 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 therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated 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 current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Elizabeth PA While not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Elizabeth PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Elizabeth PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Elizabeth PA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Elizabeth PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed 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 PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have relationships with Elizabeth PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Elizabeth healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Elizabeth PA residence. Students who have chosen 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 school 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 typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department 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 therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Elizabeth PA area, confirm 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 carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Elizabeth Pennsylvania?

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

West Elizabeth, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), of which 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 27.59%, is water.

Situated along the Monongahela River, West Elizabeth is surrounded by Jefferson Hills. Across the river, West Elizabeth runs adjacent with the borough of Elizabeth and has a direct connector via Malady Bridge.

The town was initially laid out in 1833, and incorporated March 3, 1848.[5] West Elizabeth was a coal mining and boat-building town. Coal was transported by barge down the Monongahela River to industries in Pittsburgh. Coal was transported from the mine to the river by Walton's Coal Incline and the O'Neil and Company Incline.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Elizabeth PA

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Elizabeth PA.