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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Kaufman 75142

Kaufman TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Kaufman TX is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Kaufman TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Kaufman TX private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. 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 experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Kaufman TX health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more 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 profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Kaufman TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Kaufman TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 USA. A number of 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 Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kaufman TX Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to 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 Kaufman TX home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Kaufman TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 select an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Kaufman TX physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Kaufman TX area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both excellent 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Kaufman TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Kaufman health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Kaufman TX home. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring 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 program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Kaufman TX area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify 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 due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kaufman Texas?

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

Kaufman, Texas

Kaufman was founded as a fort, named after Dr. William P. King who established the fort after purchasing 2.5 square miles of land where the city is now located in 1840. Kings Fort was renamed Kingsboro after five years of growth. In 1852, Kingsboro was renamed Kaufman after the newly formed Kaufman County, which in turn was named after David S. Kaufman.[5][6] Kaufman was the first place that Bonnie Parker, of Bonnie and Clyde fame, was incarcerated.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.8 square miles (18 km2), of which, 6.6 square miles (17 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (2.64%) is water.

As of 2010 Kaufman had a population of 6,703. The median age was 32. The ethnic and racial composition of the population was 55.4% non-Hispanic white, 9.4% non-Hispanic black, 0.9% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 13.6% reporting some other race and 3.5% from two or more races. 32.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.[11]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Kaufman TX

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Kaufman TX.