Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Corsicana TX

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Corsicana 75110

Corsicana TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Corsicana TX is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a superior education and meet 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 important qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Corsicana TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Corsicana TX hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Corsicana TX health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Corsicana TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue 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 focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Corsicana TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate 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 must also 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 seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 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 requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Corsicana TX While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Corsicana TX home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Corsicana TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Corsicana TX physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools 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, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Corsicana TX area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have relationships with Corsicana TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Corsicana medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Corsicana TX home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area 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 perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Corsicana TX area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Corsicana Texas?

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

Corsicana, Texas

Corsicana is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 45, some 58 mi (89 km) south of downtown Dallas. The population was 23,770 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Navarro County.[3]

Founded in 1848, Corsicana was named by José Antonio Navarro after the Mediterranean island of Corsica, the birthplace of his father. He had died when Navarro and his many siblings were young.[4][5] The first school opened shortly afterwards in 1849.[6]

Women's groups have had a strong role throughout the history of the city. They established the Corsicana Female Literary Institute, a school which operated from 1857 through 1870. The first public library in Corsicana opened in 1901 by effort of the women's clubs of the city. A 1905 library matching gift by Andrew Carnegie gave the library a permanent home and its first full-time, professionally trained librarian. The library today is housed in a dedicated building downtown and boasts more than 52,283 books, 6,306 audio materials, 783 video materials, and 122 serial subscriptions.[7]

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Corsicana TX

Selecting the best physical therapy college is an important first decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Corsicana TX.