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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Program near Groves 77619

Groves TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Groves TX is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Groves TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Groves TX private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Groves TX health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Groves TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Groves TX area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed 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 implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Groves TX Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Groves TX home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Groves TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Groves TX physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It might also be prudent 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 Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Groves TX area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Groves TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Groves health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Groves TX home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry 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 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 usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Groves TX area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Groves Texas?

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

Groves, Texas

Groves is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,733 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2010 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 16,144.[3] It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Groves is located at 29°56′50″N 93°54′57″W / 29.947113°N 93.915829°W / 29.947113; -93.915829 (29.947113, -93.915829).[4] It is situated approximately eleven miles southeast of Beaumont in eastern Jefferson County. The city of Port Arthur borders Groves on three sides (southeast, southwest, and northeast), while Port Neches lies to the northwest.[5] Three State Highways – 73, 87, and 347 – pass through or near the city.

In 1886, Sam Courville moved his family from a Sabine Lake settlement in Port Arthur to a new home on 640 acres (2.6 km2) of land.[6] It would be in that same general area around 1911 that John Warne Gates purchased additional tracts of land. The land was conveyed to the Griffing brothers of Port Arthur in 1916 and three years later, Griffing Brothers Nursery employee Wiley Choate supervised the planting of several thousand pecan trees on a 385-acre (1.56 km2) tract.[6] In 1921, the Port Arthur Land Development Company took control of the site and divided the land into a residential subdivision known as Pecan Grove. The name was later shortened to "Groves," after development representative and pioneer Port Arthurian Asa Groves.[7]

Select the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Groves TX

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have 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 choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Groves TX.