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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Pittston 18640

Pittston PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Pittston PA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating 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 thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Pittston PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Pittston PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Pittston PA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to move up 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 most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pittston PA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pittston PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, including the type 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 considering there are numerous PT schools within the Pittston PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for 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. Get in touch with a few Pittston PA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent 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 School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Pittston PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate 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 additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Pittston PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Pittston health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Pittston PA home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pittston PA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pittston Pennsylvania?

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

Pittston, Pennsylvania

Pittston is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. The city gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining city, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. The population was 7,739 as of the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Luzerne County.[3] At its peak in 1920, the population of Pittston was 18,497. The city consists of three sections: The Downtown (in the center of the city), the Oregon Section (in the southern end), and the Junction (in the northern end). Pittston City is at the heart of the Greater Pittston region (a 65.35 square mile region in Luzerne County). Greater Pittston has a total population of 48,020 (as of 2010).[4]

Pittston lies in the Wyoming Valley on the east side of the Susquehanna River and on the south side of the Lackawanna River. It is approximately midway between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. Named after the famous British statesman William Pitt the Elder, the city was settled around 1770 by the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut. It was originally called "Pittstown."

During the Revolutionary War, the Wyoming Valley was an active battleground between the British and the Continentals (American Patriots). On July 3, 1778, a force of British soldiers, with the assistance of about 700 Indians, attacked and killed nearly 300 American Patriots (in present-day Wyoming). Connecticut Continentals (Patriots), led by Captain Jeremiah Blanchard and Lieutenant Timothy Keyes, held and maintained a fort in Pittstown (present-day Pittston City). On July 4, 1778 (one day after the Battle of Wyoming), a group of British soldiers took over the fortress and some of it was destroyed. Two years later, the Continentals stormed the fortification and recaptured it. From then on it was under Patriot control until the end of the war in 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Today a marker stands at the site where the fort once stood.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Pittston PA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Pittston PA.