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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hornbeak 38232

Hornbeak TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Hornbeak TN is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Hornbeak TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Hornbeak TN hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Hornbeak TN health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, 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. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Hornbeak TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Hornbeak TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hornbeak TN Although not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hornbeak TN residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Hornbeak TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you need to make sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select 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 ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Hornbeak TN physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Tennessee 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 two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hornbeak TN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While 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 supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Hornbeak TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Hornbeak medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical 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 a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Hornbeak TN residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area 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 might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hornbeak TN area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hornbeak Tennessee?

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

Hornbeak, Tennessee

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 435 people, 185 households, and 130 families residing in the town. The population density was 697.0 people per square mile (270.9/km²). There were 205 housing units at an average density of 328.5 per square mile (127.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.31% White, 0.23% African American, and 0.46% from two or more races.

There were 185 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the town, the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

Select the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hornbeak TN

Selecting the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Hornbeak TN.