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

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near Millheim 16854

Millheim PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Millheim PA is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Millheim PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Millheim PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Millheim PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Millheim PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Millheim PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Millheim PA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of 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 school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Millheim PA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Millheim PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to be sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Millheim PA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations 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 filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Millheim PA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements 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 vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have relationships with Millheim PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Millheim health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Millheim PA home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Millheim PA area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Millheim Pennsylvania?

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

Millheim, Pennsylvania

Millheim is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 904 at the 2010 census. The Millheim Historic District, which includes 176 contributing buildings, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 904 people, 377 households, and 251 families residing in the borough. The population density was 684.8 people per square mile (264.5/km²). There were 417 housing units at an average density of 315.9 per square mile (122.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.2% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% other, and 1.5% from two or more races.

There were 377 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.94.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Millheim PA

Picking the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Millheim PA.