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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Moscow 18444

Moscow PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Moscow PA is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Moscow PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Moscow PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Moscow PA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Moscow PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Moscow PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Moscow PA While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Moscow PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Moscow PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Moscow PA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Moscow 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 outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both exceptional 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Moscow PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Moscow medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Moscow PA residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college 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 for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Moscow PA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Moscow Pennsylvania?

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

Moscow, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2), all of it land, with negligible surface water. The Roaring Brook flows through Moscow and many tributary streams merge there with the brook.

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 2,026 people, 751 households, and 569 families residing in the borough. The population density was 723.6 people per square mile (279.4/km²). There were 789 housing units at an average density of 281.8 per square mile (110.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.9% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 751 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 and the average family size was 3.17.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Moscow PA

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you must 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 choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Moscow PA.