Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Mc Kean PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Mc Kean 16426

Mc Kean PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Mc Kean PA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Mc Kean PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Mc Kean PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Mc Kean PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Mc Kean PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to practice as 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. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Mc Kean PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mc Kean PA Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Mc Kean PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and costs 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 disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Mc Kean PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Mc Kean PA physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Mc Kean PA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Mc Kean PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Mc Kean medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Mc Kean PA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Mc Kean PA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mc Kean Pennsylvania?

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

McKean County, Pennsylvania

McKean County is a rural county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,450.[1] Its county seat is Smethport.[2] The county was created in 1804 and organized in 1826.[3] It was named in honor of former Pennsylvania Governor and Declaration of Independence signer Thomas McKean.[4]

McKean County comprises the Bradford, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is in a sparsely populated region known as the "Pennsylvania Wilds", including the Allegheny National Forest and borders New York. McKean County is home of "The Zippo Lighter" and boasts of being "The Black Cherry Capital of the World."

McKean County was founded because of its natural resources of oil and timber, both of which continue to provide a significant input to the economy. Today, a university, rural medical center, and manufacturing companies balance the area's economy.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Mc Kean PA

Selecting the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Mc Kean PA.