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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Lugoff 29078

Lugoff SC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Lugoff SC is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Lugoff SC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Lugoff 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 earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Lugoff SC medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind 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 Therapy Degrees Available

Lugoff SC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Lugoff SC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually include 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 the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lugoff SC Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lugoff SC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs 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 attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the kind 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 since there are so many PT colleges within the Lugoff SC area and throughout South Carolina, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, 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 may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact some Lugoff SC physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to check with the South Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lugoff SC area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for South Carolina 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 therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Lugoff SC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Lugoff medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Lugoff SC home. Students who have decided 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 importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may 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 too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lugoff SC area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need 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 Lugoff South Carolina?

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

Lugoff, South Carolina

Lugoff (pronounced Lew goff) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 7,434 as of the 2010 census and was nearly 85% rural in 2000. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 7,434 people, 2,364 households, and 1,846 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 488.9 people per square mile (188.8/km²). There were 2,467 housing units at an average density of 192.1 per square mile (74.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.56% White, 15.45% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.

There were 2,364 households out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.04.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Lugoff SC

Choosing the right physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Lugoff SC.