Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Pigeon Forge TN

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Pigeon Forge 37863

Pigeon Forge TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Pigeon Forge TN is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss 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’s Job Description?

Pigeon Forge TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Pigeon Forge TN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Pigeon Forge TN health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Pigeon Forge 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 choices, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Pigeon Forge TN area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly 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 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pigeon Forge TN Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pigeon Forge TN residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, such as the kind 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 because there are so many PT schools within the Pigeon Forge TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you select 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 therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Pigeon Forge TN physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It might 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 schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pigeon Forge TN area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Pigeon Forge TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Pigeon Forge medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Pigeon Forge TN home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear 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 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships 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 beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pigeon Forge TN area, make certain that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pigeon Forge Tennessee?

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

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 5,875. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge is a tourist destination that caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans. The city's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters.

The name "Pigeon Forge" comes from an iron forge built by Isaac Love (1783–1854) some time around 1820. The name of this forge referred to its location along the Little Pigeon River, in the vicinity of what is now the Old Mill. The name of the river comes from the flocks of passenger pigeons that frequented its banks at the time of the first Euro-American settlers' arrival.[5]

For centuries, the Cherokee used the valley where Pigeon Forge is now located as a hunting ground. A Cherokee footpath known as "Indian Gap Trail" crossed the Great Smokies from North Carolina and passed through the Pigeon Forge valley en route to its junction with Great Indian Warpath in modern Sevierville. (US-441 closely parallels this ancient trail, although it crests the mountains at Newfound Gap rather than Indian Gap). From Sevierville, Great Indian Warpath headed west toward the Overhill Cherokee towns along the Little Tennessee River.[6]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Pigeon Forge TN

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Pigeon Forge TN.