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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Trevorton 17881

Trevorton PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Trevorton PA is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to make sure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Trevorton PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Trevorton PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Trevorton PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Trevorton PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Trevorton PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even 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 Trevorton PA While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs 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 college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Trevorton PA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Trevorton PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 enroll in an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for 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. Call several Trevorton PA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Trevorton PA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Trevorton PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Trevorton healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Trevorton PA home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear 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 might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Trevorton PA area, verify 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 have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Trevorton Pennsylvania?

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

Port Trevorton, Pennsylvania

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 451 people, 166 households, and 118 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 163.9 people per square mile (63.3/km²). There were 183 housing units at an average density of 66.5/sq mi (25.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 99.33% White, 0.22% African American, 0.22% Native American and 0.22% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.22% of the population.

There were 166 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist College near Trevorton PA

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide 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 reach 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 necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Trevorton PA.