Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - West Middlesex PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near West Middlesex 16159

West Middlesex PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near West Middlesex PA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

West Middlesex PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as West Middlesex PA private practices, hospitals, 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other West Middlesex PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

West Middlesex PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the West Middlesex PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
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 important first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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 United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in West Middlesex PA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s West Middlesex PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the West Middlesex PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 select an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few West Middlesex PA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent 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 couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the West Middlesex PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have associations with West Middlesex PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the West Middlesex medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at 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 ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their West Middlesex PA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even 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 frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the West Middlesex PA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near West Middlesex Pennsylvania?

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

West Middlesex, Pennsylvania

West Middlesex is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, along the Shenango River. The population was 863 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

West Middlesex is one of the oldest localities in Mercer County. Samuel Byers, Andrew Wylie, William Bell, Richard Vanfleet and several others arrived in the vicinity in the late 18th century. In 1787, James Gibson received a plot of land west of the Shenango River for military services. Shortly thereafter, ownership of that land passed to Jacob Edeburn. In 1818, Jacob's son William Edeburn built a log grist mill on part of the land. It was purchased by James McConnell in 1821, who built a log house nearby.[4]

In 1830, Edeburn built a sawmill, and McConnell built a flour mill. James Gilkey, cultivator of the "Neshannock potatoes," surveyed the site and platted the town in 1836 on McConnell's land. A store and a tavern were opened about the time the town was platted, and in 1840 the post office was established, with Robert Young as the first postmaster.[4]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near West Middlesex PA

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to 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 education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in West Middlesex PA.