Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Fairless Hills PA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Fairless Hills 19030

Fairless Hills PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Fairless Hills PA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. 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?

Fairless Hills PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Fairless Hills PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Fairless Hills PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Fairless Hills PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Fairless Hills PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to progress 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 practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fairless Hills PA While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Fairless Hills PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable 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 benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Fairless Hills PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing 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 choose an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program 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. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Fairless Hills PA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It may also be a good idea 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 Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Fairless Hills PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Fairless Hills PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Fairless Hills health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Fairless Hills PA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Fairless Hills PA area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative 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 work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fairless Hills Pennsylvania?

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

Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania

Fairless Hills as it is known today began in 1951 when developer Danherst Corporation began erecting prefabricated homes built by Gunnison Magichomes, Inc. Gunnison was a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Steel. The development was financed by U.S. Steel with a loan of $50 million. It was named in honor of Benjamin Fairless, then president of U.S. Steel, which operated the "Fairless Works" plant which employed most of Fairless Hills' homeowners at the time.[2]

As of the 2010 census, Fairless Hills was 85.2% White, 3.7% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.1% some other race, and 1.6% were two or more races. 3.6% were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. 8.4% of the population were foreign-born.[6]

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,220 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.15.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy College near Fairless Hills PA

Choosing the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to 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 enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Fairless Hills PA.