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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Macungie 18062

Macungie PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Macungie PA is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. 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 work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Macungie PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Macungie PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce 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.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Macungie PA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Macungie PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available 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 descriptions of degrees that are available in the Macungie PA area:

Associate Degrees educate 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Macungie PA While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Macungie PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Macungie PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 enroll in an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Macungie PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Macungie PA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In each 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 PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have associations with Macungie PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Macungie health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Macungie PA home. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Macungie PA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Macungie Pennsylvania?

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

Macungie, Pennsylvania

Macungie (pronounced ma-CUN-gee) is the second oldest borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States[3] and a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region. Macungie is included in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New York City-Newark, New Jersey, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

During Fries's Rebellion in 1800, the U.S. Marshal began arresting people for tax resistance, and arrests were made without much incident until the marshal reached Millerstown, where a crowd formed to protect a man from arrest. Failing to make that arrest, the marshal arrested a few others and returned to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with his prisoners. Two separate groups of rebels independently vowed to liberate the prisoners and marched on Bethlehem. The militia prevailed, and John Fries, leader of the rebellion, and others were arrested.

In 1875, the borough was renamed Macungie to avoid confusion with another town by the same name: Millerstown in Perry County, Pennsylvania.[3] Macungie lies in the eastern part of the historic Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Macungie PA

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You might want to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak with current 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 supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Macungie PA.