Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Mountain Top PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Mountain Top 18707

Mountain Top PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Mountain Top PA is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Mountain Top PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Mountain Top PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Mountain Top PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Mountain Top PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Mountain Top PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and usually include 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 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 finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mountain Top PA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Mountain Top PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Mountain Top PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 enroll in an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Mountain Top PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact 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 two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, 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 Mountain Top PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Mountain Top PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Mountain Top health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Mountain Top PA residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry 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 might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Mountain Top PA area, make certain that they are offered. 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 have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mountain Top Pennsylvania?

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

Mountain Top, Pennsylvania

The area's proper name is "Mountain Top." The local historical society uses the spelling "Mountain Top."[2] The United States Postal Service uses the spelling "Mountain Top" for ZIP Code 18707, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spells it "Mountain Top" on a Pennsylvania driver's license. However, some businesses in Mountain Top do spell their community as a single word, "Mountaintop."

Mountain Top, once named Penobscot, PA, is located at 41°8′7″N 75°54′16″W / 41.13528°N 75.90444°W / 41.13528; -75.90444 (41.1353022, -75.9044749) in the shadow of Mount Penobscot (or Penobscot Knob). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.1 square miles (39.0 km2), all of it land.[3]

Mountain Top is located in the saddle pass atop the drainage divide between the Susquehanna River basin (to the north and west) and the Lehigh River basin (to the east and south), so sits astride an important land communications corridor bridging the two watersheds below. It is just 8 miles (13 km) northwest of White Haven, at the head end of the Lehigh River, and in the heights above Hazleton, only 10 miles (16 km) south of Wilkes-Barre on Pennsylvania Route 309. Consequently, even though regional railroads are much diminished in scope and influence, Mountain Top yard, once used as a marshaling yard at the top of the Ashley Planes funicular (cable driven) railway, is still an important regional element of the transportation infrastructure connecting Allentown and Philadelphia with points north and west via trackage to several yards in New York State.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Mountain Top PA

Choosing the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school 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 field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Mountain Top PA.