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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist School near Strasburg 17579

Strasburg PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Strasburg PA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply 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 considered in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Strasburg PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Strasburg PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course 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 abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Strasburg PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Strasburg PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Strasburg PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Strasburg PA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of 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 portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Strasburg PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Strasburg PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make certain that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 select an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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 also. Contact some Strasburg PA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It may 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 Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out 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 help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Strasburg PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Strasburg PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Strasburg medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on 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 also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Strasburg PA residence. Those 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 consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Strasburg PA area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Strasburg Pennsylvania?

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

Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road.[4] The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler.[5] The town is often called "Train Town USA" because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The Old Conestoga Road was in use by 1714, and by 1750 a tavern and some log houses were built near the current site of Strasburg. Strasburg grew as the trade over the road with Philadelphia grew. By 1759, there were 32 taxable properties in the town, including about ten hotels. Many early settlers were Huguenots or Swiss or German Mennonites and several church congregations of various faiths formed during the 1760s. The first church was built in 1807 by Methodists.[6]

The Old Conestoga Road was the main path connecting Philadelphia to the west, but in 1792 the new Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike was built, bypassing Strasburg four miles to the north. However, in 1793 construction on the new Strasburg Road started, roughly following the old road, passing through West Chester on the way to Philadelphia. It attracted traffic because it was not a toll-road, unlike the Philadelphia Turnpike. This road later developed into PA 741.[4]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist College near Strasburg PA

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Strasburg PA.