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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy College near Jellico 37762

Jellico TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Jellico TN is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Jellico TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Jellico TN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

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

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Jellico TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Jellico TN area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having 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 Jellico TN While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Jellico TN home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Jellico TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Jellico TN physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It may 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 schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate 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 placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Jellico TN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Jellico TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Jellico healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Jellico TN home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Jellico TN area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jellico Tennessee?

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

Jellico, Tennessee

The name "Jellico" is a regional corruption of "Angelica", an herb that grows in abundance in the surrounding mountains. The name was first applied to the mountains to the west and to the mountains' main drainage, Jellico Creek, which passes 5 miles (8 km) west of the city of Jellico and empties into the Cumberland River near Williamsburg, Kentucky.

In the early 1880s, a high quality bituminous coal was discovered in the Jellico Mountains, and with the completion of railroad tracks to the area in 1883, coal mines quickly sprang up throughout the area. The city of Jellico was initially founded as "Smithburg" in 1878, but changed its name to "Jellico" in 1883 to capitalize on the growing popularity of Jellico coal. The city was incorporated on March 7, 1883.[1]

Throughout the 1890s and early 1900s, Jellico was one of the most productive coal fields in Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1906, a railroad car packed with dynamite exploded in Jellico, killing eight and destroying part of the town.[1] The town quickly recovered, however, and many of the buildings in the Main Street area date from this period.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Jellico TN

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Jellico TN.