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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Hurst 76053

Hurst TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Hurst TX is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hurst TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Hurst TX hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people 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 address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Hurst TX medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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 Therapist Degrees

Hurst TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Hurst TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

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 even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hurst TX While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hurst TX residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, 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 Hurst TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must 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 Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 choose an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’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 agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Hurst TX physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hurst TX area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Hurst TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Hurst healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Hurst TX residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hurst TX area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hurst Texas?

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

Hurst, Texas

Hurst is a city in the U.S. state of Texas located in the densely populated portion of northeastern Tarrant County and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. It is considered a Dallas and Fort Worth suburb and is part of the Mid-Cities region. It is 13 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 37,337.[6]

The City of Hurst is surrounded by other communities including Bedford, Euless, Fort Worth, Richland Hills, North Richland Hills, Grapevine, and Colleyvile. Hurst’s education system is sponsored and served by the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District, while other school districts Grapevine-Colleyville ISD and Birdville ISD serve the far north and far west portions.

Places of importance inside Hurst include the Tarrant County College campus that was built in 1961, the newly constructed Tarrant County Northeast Courthouse, the headquarters of Bell Helicopter (considered to be in the city limits of Fort Worth), The Hurst/Bell Station (opened in September 2000) that is jointly owned by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Trinity Railway Express. The city’s premier shopping centre, North East Mall that was ranked the #1 Shopping Mall in Tarrant County and is the third largest mall in the state of Texas.[7] The North East Mall opened in March 1972 (sources vary), is owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. Hurst’s only cinema complex, the North East Cinemark Rave 18 opened in 2004.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist College near Hurst TX

Choosing the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Hurst TX.