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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Program near Sellersville 18960

Sellersville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Sellersville PA is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Sellersville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Sellersville PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Sellersville PA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Sellersville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered 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 advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Sellersville PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important 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 mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely 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. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sellersville PA While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some 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 incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Sellersville PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Sellersville PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Sellersville PA physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once 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 Sellersville PA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Sellersville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Sellersville healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Sellersville PA home. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Sellersville PA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sellersville Pennsylvania?

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

Sellersville, Pennsylvania

Sellersville was founded in the early 18th century. It was centered on a major road known as Bethlehem Pike that connected Philadelphia to Bethlehem and the rest of what was then far Western Pennsylvania. The town was very small and was called Sellers Tavern. Its most notable feature was a large inn. The present Washington House in Sellersville, however, was not Sellers Tavern. The town grew slowly over the years until the Industrial Revolution. In the 1860s the North Pennsylvania Railroad was built, running parallel to Bethlehem Pike: this stimulated the growth of light textile industries and brought a wave of population growth. The East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek runs through the town which connects it to an adjacent town of Perkasie. This creek was dammed in the early 20th century creating a small body of water known as Lake Lenape. Along the length of the lake a park was built on Perkasie and Sellersville lands. In the 1920s and 1930s this park housed a carousel, a roller coaster and several other amusements. The railroad brought hundreds of people from Philadelphia in the summer time, and it became a well known vacation spot for blue collar city workers. The town was also home to the Radium Company of America, which was the largest uranium milling facility in the world at the time. A business operating under the name of the United States Gauge Company originated in Sellersville in 1904 and allegedly became a prominent manufacturer of gauges for military use, many of which were coated with radium-based paint[3] for nighttime luminesence. The company later became instrumental in the production of nuclear weapons,[4] leaving behind a legacy of industrial and radioactive contamination that has been well-hidden by local, county, state, and federal government agencies for decades.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Today the town is still relatively small, sandwiched in between a ridge line and the larger town of Perkasie. The center of town still runs along Bethlehem Pike which is now called Old Route 309. The Washington House has recently been restored to become an upscale restaurant. Next door to the restaurant was a livery stable, which was converted into a theater (later a movie theater) in 1894. It has since been restored, and reopened in 2001 as Sellersville Theater 1894- a popular live music venue. The creek is still dammed but only the carousel in Perkasie remains of the amusements. The textile industry has long moved out of the area and Sellersville has become mainly a residential town for people working in the many urban centers that are only a short commute away. Grand View Hospital, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties with comprehensive healthcare services since 1913. The town is surrounded on three sides by open country and spread out housing developments. The local firehouse provides various activities throughout the year, including a carnival in the summer. The Holiday House Pool and Recreation Center becomes a hotspot for people to escape the heat during the summer as well. There are various business along Main Street one of which is the Washington House. This strip of businesses along Main Street provide some jobs as well, but largely the town remains a residential area. There is a Sellersville Museum off of Main Street which displays different exhibits every month.

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 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (1.69%) is water. It is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania as part of Northern Bucks County (colloquially referred to as Upper Bucks) which borders Northampton County, and Lehigh County.

As of the census[16] of 2010, there were 4,249 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 93.6% White, 1.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Sellersville PA

Choosing the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Sellersville PA.