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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Greenville 16125

Greenville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Greenville PA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Greenville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Greenville PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although 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.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Greenville PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can 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 quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Greenville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Greenville PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may 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 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 usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often incorporate 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 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 existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Greenville PA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more 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 necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Greenville PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Greenville PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to make sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Greenville PA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see 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 know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Greenville PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Greenville PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Greenville medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors 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 decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Greenville PA home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Greenville PA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Greenville Pennsylvania?

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

Greenville, Pennsylvania

Greenville is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located along the Shenango River, it is roughly 80 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Greenville is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Greenville is located in northwest Pennsylvania at 41°24′18″N 80°23′12″W / 41.40500°N 80.38667°W / 41.40500; -80.38667 (41.404998, −80.386651),[3] along the Shenango River. Its altitude is 945 feet (288 m) above sea level.

Greenville was known for its manufacturing interests, including railroad shops, bridge works, gristmills, a cement-block plant, an automobile factory, foundries and machine shops, saw and planing mills, steelworks, a railroad-car manufacturer, and flour mills. Water power was supplied by the Shenango River.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Greenville PA

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk with current 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 supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Greenville PA.