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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Jessup 18434

Jessup PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Jessup PA is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Jessup PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Jessup PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Jessup PA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Jessup 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 one degree that is attainable to become 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. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Jessup PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become 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 GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available 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 program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jessup PA Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jessup PA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses 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 best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Jessup PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to make certain that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Jessup PA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college 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 significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Jessup PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Jessup PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Jessup health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. 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 opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Jessup PA residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need 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 Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Jessup PA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jessup Pennsylvania?

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

Jessup, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 6.75 square miles (17.5 km2), of which, 6.7 square miles (17 km2) of it is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) of it (0.74%) is water.

Settled in 1849, the town of Jessup was named after Judge William Jessup. It was presented to the Luzerne County Court for incorporation as the Borough of Winton in December 1876. Two years later, Lackawanna County was incorporated. The early 1890s were very significant for the little town, as numerous new mining operations were opened. Shortly after these were opened, immigrants from Europe were lured to the area by the work available in the booming anthracite coal fields.

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 4,676 people, 2,007 households, and 1,272 families residing in the borough. The population density was 697.9 people per square mile (269.5/km²). There were 2,134 housing units at an average density of 318.5 per square mile (124.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.9% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Jessup PA

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Jessup PA.