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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Orlinda 37141

Orlinda TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Orlinda TN is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must 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 cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Orlinda TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Orlinda TN private practices, hospitals, 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 earlier stated, 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 create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Orlinda TN medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, 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 Degree Options

Orlinda TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Orlinda TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Orlinda TN While not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Orlinda TN home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Orlinda TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it may also obtain 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. Additionally, verify 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 required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Orlinda TN physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Orlinda TN area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Orlinda TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Orlinda health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing 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 final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Orlinda TN residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Orlinda TN area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Orlinda Tennessee?

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

Orlinda, Tennessee

Orlinda is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee. The population was 594 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town; the community became a city in February 2001.[4] The City of Orlinda conducted its own, independent census 2007. The results of that census were submitted to the State of Tennessee, which conducted a review and random sample before officially certifying the results, which it did in May 2007.

The 2010 U.S. Census results list Orlinda's current population at 859. The Mayor of Orlinda is Ricky Stark, and the City Manager is Kevin Breeding. Orlinda is also the hometown of upcoming rappers DJ Carter and The Jacob Thompson. Carter and Jacob gained local fame when they released their first single, "When It's Dark Out".

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 594 people, 235 households, and 176 families residing in the town. The population density was 89.1 people per square mile (34.4/km²). There were 264 housing units at an average density of 39.6 per square mile (15.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.29% White, 4.04% African American, 0.17% Asian, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Orlinda TN

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different schools to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Orlinda TN.