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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Harmony 16037

Harmony PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Harmony PA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating 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 the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Harmony PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Harmony PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Harmony PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often 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

Harmony PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only 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 brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Harmony PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Harmony PA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Harmony PA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Harmony PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the program that is right 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 prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Harmony PA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program selections. 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 College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Harmony PA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with Harmony PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Harmony health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Harmony PA home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing 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 generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

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

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Harmony PA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Harmony Pennsylvania?

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

Harmony, Pennsylvania

Interstate 79 passes just east of the borough, with access from exits 87 and 88. Via I-79 it is 30 miles (48 km) south to downtown Pittsburgh and 99 miles (159 km) north to Erie. Pennsylvania Route 68 passes through the borough just south of the downtown and leads west into Zelienople and east 17 miles (27 km) to Butler, the county seat.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 937 people, 409 households, and 267 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,468.0 people per square mile (952.0/km²). There were 434 housing units at an average density of 1,143.1 per square mile (441.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.15% White, 0.53% African American, 0.21% Native American, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 409 households, out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.82.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy School near Harmony PA

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is an important first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Harmony PA.