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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Paxinos 17860

Paxinos PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Paxinos PA is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Paxinos PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Paxinos PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Paxinos PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Paxinos PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Paxinos PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training 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 essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Paxinos PA While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated 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 part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Paxinos PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Paxinos PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Paxinos PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program 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 colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Paxinos PA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements differ 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 exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Paxinos PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Paxinos medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost 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 colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher 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 a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Paxinos PA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Paxinos PA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out 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 Paxinos Pennsylvania?

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

Pennsylvania Route 487

Pennsylvania Route 487 (PA 487) is a 64.3-mile-long (103.5 km), north–south state highway running from PA 61 in Shamokin Township, Northumberland County to PA 87 (near its intersection with US 220) in Dushore, Sullivan County. In Bloomsburg, PA 487 and US 11 share a brief wrong-way concurrency. After its brief concurrency with PA 118, PA 487 goes up a steep grade through Ricketts Glen State Park. Pennsylvania Route 487 is used to carry traffic up the Fishing Creek valley.[2]

PA 487 begins at an intersection with PA 61 in the community of Paxinos in Shamokin Township, Northumberland County, heading northeast on a two-lane undivided road. The route heads through commercial areas, crossing the Shamokin Valley Railroad before heading across the Shamokin Creek into Ralpho Township, where it becomes West Valley Avenue. The road passes more businesses and continues into a mix of farmland, woodland, and homes. PA 487 reaches the community of Elysburg where it intersects PA 54. After this, the road becomes East Valley Avenue and runs through more agricultural and wooded areas with a few residences, becoming an unnamed road. The route heads into woodland and passes to the west of Knoebels Amusement Resort.[3][4]

PA 487 crosses the South Branch Roaring Creek into Franklin Township, Columbia County and turns more to the north, heading through wooded areas to the east of the creek. The road curves east and becomes Southern Drive, heading into open agricultural areas with some homes and crossing Roaring Creek. The route turns to the northeast and runs through more farmland with some woods and residences. PA 487 enters Catawissa Township and continues into more wooded areas, coming to an intersection with PA 42. At this point, PA 487 joins PA 42 for a concurrency, with the two routes heading north through more woodland on Numidia Drive. The road crosses the Catawissa Creek into Catawissa and becomes Mill Street, heading northwest into residential areas. PA 42 splits from PA 487 by heading west-northwest on Main Street, with PA 487 continuing north-northeast onto North 4th Street, passing more homes. The route turns northeast onto Merceron Street and leaves Catawissa for Catawissa Township again, becoming Riverhill Drive and heading into open farmland with some residences. The road curves to the north and passes through the neighborhood of Breezy Acres, heading into more wooded areas of homes and turning to the northwest. PA 487 runs through dense forests before coming to a bridge that carries it over Norfolk Southern's Sunbury Line and across the Susquehanna River as the East Bloomsburg Bridge, also known as Ferry Road.[3][5]

Choose the Right Physical Therapist College near Paxinos PA

Selecting the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Paxinos PA.