Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - La Porte TX

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near La Porte 77571

La Porte TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near La Porte TX is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to make sure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist?

La Porte TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including La Porte TX hospitals, health clinics, 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 earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other La Porte TX medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

La Porte TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the La Porte TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become 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 offered by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in La Porte TX Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s La Porte TX home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the La Porte TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some La Porte TX physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the La Porte TX area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports 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 therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with La Porte TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the La Porte medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their La Porte TX home. Individuals 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. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the La Porte TX area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near La Porte Texas?

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

La Porte, Texas

La Porte (/lə ˈpɔːrt/ lə PORT) is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States, within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,800.[3] La Porte is the fourth-largest incorporated city in Harris County.

When La Porte celebrated its centennial in 1992, it was the home of Barbours Cut Terminal, operated by the Port of Houston Authority since 1977. Fifteen years later, the Port of Houston's newest addition, Bayport Terminal, was established just south of La Porte. The area around La Porte has served an increasingly important role in international trade since the 1970s.

The area around modern La Porte gained fame early in Texas history as the location of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, which ended the Texas Revolution, establishing the independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico. The San Jacinto Monument, in the unincorporated area of La Porte, commemorates the battle. During the early 20th century, particularly the 1920s and 1930s, La Porte's Sylvan Beach became a nationally known tourist destination attracting some of the nation's most well-known entertainers. As a result of changing economics in the Houston area and beach erosion, the tourist business declined while industrial development in the area grew. During World War II and afterward, La Porte's economy rapidly shifted toward petroleum/petrochemicals and shipping, which developed as the dominant industries in the Pasadena-Baytown area.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near La Porte TX

Picking the right physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with active 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 following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in La Porte TX.