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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Powell 37849

Powell TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Powell TN is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Powell TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Powell TN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Powell TN medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Powell TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Powell TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). 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 intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Powell TN Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so 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 requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Powell TN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and costs 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 alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Powell TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Powell TN physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Powell TN area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Powell TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Powell healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Powell TN home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Powell TN area, confirm 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 need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Powell Tennessee?

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

Powell, Tennessee

Powell is an unincorporated community in Knox County, Tennessee, United States. The area is located in the Emory Road corridor (State Route 131), just north of Knoxville, southeast of Clinton, and east of Oak Ridge. The United States Geographic Names System classifies Powell as a populated place.[1] It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Despite its status as unincorporated, Powell is considered to be more of an "independent" small town than a suburb. One of the reasons behind this is that it was established in 1789 (two years before the establishment of Knoxville) by settlers passing through East Tennessee into the frontier. Among these early settlers was Stockley Donelson (1753–1804), a brother-in-law of President Andrew Jackson. Donelson's home, now known as the Alexander Bishop House, still stands on Bishop Lane.[2] Another early settler was John Manifee, a Revolutionary War veteran who built a small fort and trading station along what is now Clinton Highway in the late 1780s.[3]

The community's name is derived from the Powell Station train stop, which was in turn named for Columbus Powell, a prominent local resident.[3] The train station is not currently in use but remains in the town's "downtown" area. The railroad was essential to economy of early 20th century Powell as bricks were made with the mud from Beaver Creek and loaded onto the tracks and sent to various locations.[3] The tracks were originally part of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway (now part of the Norfolk Southern line).

Select the Best Physical Therapist School near Powell TN

Choosing the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different campuses 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 practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Powell TN.