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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Harrogate 37752

Harrogate TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Harrogate TN is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality 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 nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Harrogate TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Harrogate TN hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Harrogate TN medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Harrogate TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Harrogate TN area:

Associate Degrees train 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 GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, 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 offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Harrogate TN While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, 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 near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Harrogate TN residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Harrogate TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Harrogate TN physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Harrogate TN area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Harrogate TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Harrogate health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Harrogate TN home. Students who have opted 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 importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges 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 must verify that the physical therapy program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Harrogate TN area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Harrogate Tennessee?

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

Harrogate, Tennessee

Harrogate is located at 36°34′56″N 83°39′25″W / 36.58222°N 83.65694°W / 36.58222; -83.65694 (37.811324, -82.806780).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (20 km2), all land.[6]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 2,865 people, 1,032 households, and 747 families residing in the Harrogate-Shawanee CDP. The population density was 688.3 inhabitants per square mile (265.9/km²). There were 1,091 housing units at an average density of 262.1 per square mile (101.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.73% White, 0.94% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.52% of the population.

There were 1,032 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.83.

Select the Right Physical Therapist College near Harrogate TN

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is an important initial 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 decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to 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 training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Harrogate TN.