Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Greer SC

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Program near Greer 29650

Greer SC physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Greer SC is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest 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 cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Greer SC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Greer SC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Greer SC health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Greer SC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Greer SC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, 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 lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some 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 United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding 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 Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Greer SC Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy 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 a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Greer SC home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Greer SC area and across South Carolina, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for 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 also. Get in touch with a few Greer SC physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the South Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful 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 dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Greer SC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for South Carolina or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary 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 exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Greer SC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Greer healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools 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 an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Greer SC home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly 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 potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Greer SC area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Greer South Carolina?

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

Greer, South Carolina

Greer is a city in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 25,515 as of the 2010 census[3] and had risen to an estimated 28,365 as of 2015. The eastern part of the city is in Spartanburg County, while the bulk of the city is in Greenville County. It is part of the Greenville–Anderson–Mauldin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is additionally part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area in Upstate South Carolina.

Greer is adjacent to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), which serves Greenville, Spartanburg, and the Upstate. Greer is also the site of the only BMW manufacturing facility in North America. According to a June 2005 article in The Greenville News, BMW's Greer plant employs about 9,000 people, and has attracted dozens of suppliers in South Carolina, providing jobs for more than 12,000 people. Greer is home to the South Carolina Inland Port, an intermodal facility that receives and sends containers by rail to the Port of Charleston.

Greer is located at 34°55′49″N 82°13′30″W / 34.93028°N 82.22500°W / 34.93028; -82.22500 (34.930304, −82.225052).[4] It is 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Greenville and 17 miles (27 km) west of Spartanburg, both via U.S. Route 29.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist School near Greer SC

Selecting the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current 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 options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Greer SC.