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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Tioga 16946

Tioga PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Tioga PA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. 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 college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. 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 important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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?

Tioga PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Tioga 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 touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Tioga PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Tioga PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Tioga PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Tioga PA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined 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 portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Tioga PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Tioga PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received 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 choose an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Tioga PA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program options. It may also be a good idea 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 relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Tioga PA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Tioga PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Tioga healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom 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 therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Tioga PA residence. Individuals 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 importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Tioga PA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Tioga Pennsylvania?

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

Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Tioga County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,981.[1] Its county seat is Wellsboro.[2] The county was created on March 26, 1804, from part of Lycoming County[3] and later organized in 1812.[4] It is named for the Tioga River.

The county was originally settled by immigrants of "Yankee" stock (immigrants from New England and the western part of New York descended from the English Puritans whose ancestors settled New England in the colonial era). With the opening of a rough wagon road to the source of the Tioga River, New England settlers poured over the Allegheny Mountains. Tioga County resembled upstate New York more than it did Pennsylvania with its population primarily consisting of settlers from New England.[5] Roads were laid out, post routes established, public buildings erected and people were invited to move there. The original settlers were entirely of New England origins or were Yankees from upstate New York whose families had moved to that place from New England only one generation earlier, in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. This resulted in Tioga County being culturally contiguous with early New England culture.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,137 square miles (2,940 km2), of which 1,134 square miles (2,940 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (0.3%) is water.[6] It is the fourth-largest county in Pennsylvania by land area and fifth-largest by total area.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Tioga PA

Selecting the best physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Tioga PA.