Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Grantham PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Grantham 17027

Grantham PA physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapist degree near Grantham PA is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Grantham PA physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Grantham PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Grantham PA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Grantham PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Grantham PA area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Grantham PAAlthough not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated 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 may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Grantham PA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Grantham PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, 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 may 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, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Grantham PA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Grantham PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have associations with Grantham PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Grantham medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Grantham PA residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online 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 program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Grantham PA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Grantham Pennsylvania?

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

Grantham, Pennsylvania

Grantham is an unincorporated community in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, best known today for the Christian liberal arts college, Messiah College, whose students make up most of its population.

There is no industry, no mass-commercialization, and very little night life outside of the college. The population of Grantham is 85-90% between the ages of 18 and 25 years old - if you only count the student population. The actual residents number between 600-650, a large number of which are Messiah alumni, employees or parents of the same.[citation needed] Founded in the early twentieth century, Grantham was built around the rapidly growing industry built along the nearby railway line, which supplied the labor and logistical support to the macaroni factory run by Messiah College's first president S.R. Smith. After the noddle factory went out of business, the facility was used for aircraft parts and a greeting card business. It was destroyed by fire prior to 1957 and stood derelict for many years; eventually it was demolished to provide a new maintenance facility for the growing college.[citation needed]

Most of the oldest homes in "downtown" Grantham were built around 1915-17 to house workers for the factory. Currently some of these older homes are used as rentals for college students and others, while others remain private homes. The original Grantham National Bank building (which printed its own currency before the advent of the Fed) still stands on Mill Road; its kitchen retains the original vault.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Grantham PA

Picking the right physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. 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. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Grantham PA.

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