Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cedar Creek TX

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Cedar Creek 78612

Cedar Creek TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Cedar Creek TX is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Cedar Creek TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Cedar Creek TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. 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 patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Cedar Creek TX health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Cedar Creek TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only 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. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Cedar Creek TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become 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 degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want 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 overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cedar Creek TX While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Cedar Creek TX home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable 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 benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Cedar Creek TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, 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 program, it can also receive 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 simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Cedar Creek TX physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Texas 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 important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cedar Creek TX area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Texas or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Cedar Creek TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Cedar Creek health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Cedar Creek TX home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Cedar Creek TX area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cedar Creek Texas?

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

Cedar Park, Texas

Cedar Park is a city in Williamson County in the state of Texas. The population was 48,937 at the 2010 census.[3] According to the U.S. Census, the city's estimated population as of July 2017 was 75,226[4]. A small portion of the city extends into neighboring Travis County. The city is a major suburb of Austin, the center of which is approximately 16 miles (26 km) to the southeast.[5]

Cedar Park is located at 30°30′24″N 97°49′49″W / 30.50667°N 97.83028°W / 30.50667; -97.83028 (30.506620, -97.830317).[6] It lies mostly in Williamson County, although a small amount extends into Travis County.

Cedar Park is generally bisected north to south by U.S. Route 183. A bypass route, the 183A toll road, also runs through Cedar Park and opened to traffic on March 15, 2007. Major east-west routes include RM-1431/Whitestone Boulevard and Cypress Creek/Brushy Creek Road.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near Cedar Creek TX

Selecting the right physical therapist school is an important initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Cedar Creek TX.