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Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Wilmore PA

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Wilmore 15962

Wilmore PA physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapy degree near Wilmore PA is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Wilmore PA physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Wilmore PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Wilmore PA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several 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 rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Wilmore PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one 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 degrees that are available in the Wilmore PA area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare 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 equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wilmore PAAlthough not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Wilmore PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Wilmore PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited?  Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 select an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Wilmore PA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Wilmore PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both exceptional 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 needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Wilmore PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Wilmore healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher 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 talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Wilmore PA residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Wilmore PA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Wilmore Pennsylvania?

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

Wilmore, Pennsylvania

Wilmore is located in south-central Cambria County at 40°23′14″N 78°43′5″W / 40.38722°N 78.71806°W / 40.38722; -78.71806 (40.387311, -78.718118),[4] in the valley of the Little Conemaugh River. It is 8 miles (13 km) south of Ebensburg, the county seat. Within the Little Conemaugh valley, Portage is 3 miles (5 km) east (upstream), and Summerhill is 3 miles (5 km) to the west (downstream). Johnstown, the largest city in the county, is 16 miles (26 km) to the southwest.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 252 people, 89 households, and 64 families residing in the borough. The population density was 745.7 people per square mile (286.2/km²). There were 96 housing units at an average density of 284.1 per square mile (109.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White.

There were 89 households, out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.40.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Wilmore PA

Selecting the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental 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 to become a practicing physical therapist in Wilmore PA.

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