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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Hockley 77447

Hockley TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Hockley TX is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Hockley TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Hockley TX private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression 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.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Hockley TX medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Hockley TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Hockley TX area:

Associate Degrees train 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 equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up 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 most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four 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 complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding 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 Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hockley TX While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hockley TX home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning 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 invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Hockley TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to be sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Hockley TX physical therapist 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 college options. It may also be a good idea to check with 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 couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hockley TX area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have relationships with Hockley TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Hockley healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching 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 final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Hockley TX home. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble 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 perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hockley TX area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hockley Texas?

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

Hockley, Texas

Hockley is an unincorporated community located in Harris County, Texas on Texas State Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 290, approximately five miles southeast of the city hall of Waller, and thirty-six miles northwest of Downtown Houston.[1]

The community serves as the main hub for railway traffic serving Houston, Austin, and many parts of central Texas. The Southern Pacific (now known as Union Pacific) rail line is one of the community's major employers. The community is surrounded by grain farms and cattle ranches.[citation needed]

In September 2008 Hewlett-Packard acquired 97 acres (39 ha) of land near Hockley in a proposed 389-acre (157 ha) industrial park planned by John Beeson of Beeson Properties and Monzer Hourani of Medistar Corp. It paid an undisclosed sum to Beeson and Hourani, the land's previous owners. Hewlett Packard's proposed $250 million facility would be near the intersection of Betka Road and U.S. Highway 290, in close proximity to the Harris County-Waller County line, 18 miles (29 km) from HP's main Greater Houston offices, and northwest of the city of Houston.[3]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Hockley TX

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Hockley TX.