How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Savannah 38372

Earning a physical therapist degree near Savannah TN is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Savannah TN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Strokes.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Sports injuries.
• Fire injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Savannah TN health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Savannah TN area:

• Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Savannah TN home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Savannah TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 select an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing 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 School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Savannah TN physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program 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 School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Savannah TN area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Savannah TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on 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 form professional relationships in the Savannah healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Savannah TN residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may 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 live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Savannah TN area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Savannah Tennessee?

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

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Savannah TN

Picking the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Savannah TN.

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