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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Pelion 29123

Pelion SC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Pelion SC is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Pelion SC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Pelion SC private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Pelion SC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Pelion SC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only 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 prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Pelion SC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and usually 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 investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pelion SC While not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pelion SC home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Pelion SC area and across South Carolina, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received 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 select an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’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 agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Pelion SC physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the South Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pelion SC area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for South Carolina or the state where you will be working. 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 program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with Pelion SC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Pelion healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Pelion SC home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pelion SC area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask 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 Pelion South Carolina?

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

Pelion, South Carolina

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.2 km²), of which 3.5 square miles (9.0 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km²) (2.81%) is water.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 553 people, 192 households, and 147 families residing in the town. The population density was 159.7 people per square mile (61.7/km²). There were 211 housing units at an average density of 60.9 per square mile (23.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.75% White, 0.72% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.17% of the population.

There were 192 households out of which 42.2% included children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.14.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Pelion SC

Choosing the right physical therapy college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish 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 field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Pelion SC.