Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Gallaway TN

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Gallaway 38036

Gallaway TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Gallaway TN is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Gallaway TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Gallaway TN hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Gallaway TN medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Gallaway TN 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 choices, 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 readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Gallaway TN area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and often 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Gallaway TN While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Gallaway TN residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Gallaway TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received 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 choose an online school, it may also receive 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 agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Gallaway TN physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Gallaway TN area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In each 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 amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Gallaway TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Gallaway medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Gallaway TN residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide 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 often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating 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 school you finally choose 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 evening or weekend classes in the Gallaway TN area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option 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 might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gallaway Tennessee?

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

Gallaway, Tennessee

Gallaway is located in northwestern Fayette County at 35°19′36″N 89°36′59″W / 35.32667°N 89.61639°W / 35.32667; -89.61639 (35.326725, -89.616484).[5] U.S. Routes 70 and 79 pass through the northwest side of the city as a single two-lane highway, leading northeast 5 miles (8 km) to Braden and southwest 4 miles (6 km) to Arlington. Downtown Memphis is 30 miles (48 km) to the southwest. Tennessee State Route 196 leads south 6.5 miles (10.5 km) to Hickory Withe.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Gallaway has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.9 km2), all land.[4] The Loosahatchie River, a tributary of the Mississippi, flows from east to west through the southern part of the city limits.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 666 people, 235 households, and 145 families residing in the city. The population density was 188.1 people per square mile (72.6/km²). There were 267 housing units at an average density of 75.4 per square mile (29.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 39.94% White, 59.01% African American, 0.15% Native American, and 0.90% from two or more races.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Gallaway TN

Selecting the best physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Gallaway TN.