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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Wagontown 19376

Wagontown PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Wagontown PA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. 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 also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Wagontown PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Wagontown PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Wagontown PA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Wagontown PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single 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 progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Wagontown PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wagontown PA Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, 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, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Wagontown PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Wagontown PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 enroll in an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Wagontown PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college selections. It might 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Wagontown PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Wagontown PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Wagontown health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching 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 decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Wagontown PA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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 Help Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see 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 provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Wagontown PA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol 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 Wagontown Pennsylvania?

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

Pennsylvania Route 340

Pennsylvania Route 340 (PA 340) is a 30-mile-long (48 km) state highway located in Lancaster and Chester counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 462 in Lancaster. The eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 30 Business (US 30 Bus.) in Thorndale. The route is a two-lane road passing through rural areas, heading through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country in eastern Lancaster County that is home to several Amish families and serving the communities of Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, White Horse, Compass, and Wagontown. PA 340 intersects US 30 near Lancaster, PA 772 in Intercourse, PA 897 in White Horse, PA 10 in Compass, PA 82 in Wagontown, and US 30 again near Thorndale.

The route follows the route of the King's Highway that linked Lancaster and Philadelphia in colonial times and is, in fact, named King's Highway during the first few miles of its length near Thorndale. PA 340 was first designated in 1928 between US 222/PA 240 east of Lancaster and US 30/PA 1 in Gap, following its current route to White Horse before turning south to Gap. In 1937, the route was extended east to US 30 in Coatesville by heading east along its current route to Wagontown and turning south to Coatesville, with PA 897 replacing the former route between White Horse and Gap. By 1940, the route was extended west to US 22 in Harrisburg, heading west to Marietta, north to Hershey, northwest to Union Deposit, and west to Harrisburg. PA 340 was rerouted to end at US 30 in Thorndale during the 1940s. In the 1950s, the west end was cut back to US 422 in Hershey. The western terminus was scaled back to PA 441 in Marietta by 1962 and its current location by 1970, with the former alignment now PA 743 between Hershey and Marietta and PA 23 between Marietta and Lancaster.

PA 340 begins at an intersection with PA 462 in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, heading east on two-lane undivided Old Philadelphia Pike. The road passes through areas of homes and businesses, briefly forming the border between the city of Lancaster to the north and East Lampeter Township to the south. Farther east, the route runs between industrial parks to the north and neighborhoods to the south before coming to an interchange with the US 30 freeway that does not have a ramp from westbound US 30 to PA 340. Past this interchange, PA 340 heads through less dense areas of residential and commercial development with some farm fields.[2][3] At this point, the route enters the Pennsylvania Dutch Country of eastern Lancaster County, which is home to many Amish farms and businesses catering to tourists.[4][5] The road enters the community of Smoketown and intersects the northern terminus of PA 896 to the south of Smoketown Airport. The route continues east to Bird-in-Hand, where it passes under Amtrak's Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line.[2][3]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Wagontown PA

Selecting the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Wagontown PA.