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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Nicholson 18446

Nicholson PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Nicholson PA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Nicholson PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Nicholson PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Nicholson PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Nicholson PA Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Nicholson PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and costs 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 best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Nicholson PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing 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 select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Nicholson PA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school 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 College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Nicholson PA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both superior 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Nicholson PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Nicholson healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Nicholson PA residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Nicholson PA area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Nicholson Pennsylvania?

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

Nicholson, Pennsylvania

The town of Nicholson attracted national attention during the final week of July 1986, when an escaped Bengal tiger was hunted in the area for several days.[4] Despite air and ground searches by state police and zoo officials, the animal was never found.[5][6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) of it is land and 0.01 square miles (0.026 km2) of it (0.83%) is water.

As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 767 people, 302 households, and 195 families residing in the borough. The population density was 639.2 people per square mile (246.8/km2). There were 343 housing units at an average density of 285.8 per square mile (111.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 97% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% some other race, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Nicholson PA

Picking the right physical therapy school is an important first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Nicholson PA.