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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near La Vernia 78121

La Vernia TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near La Vernia TX is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

La Vernia TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as La Vernia TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other La Vernia TX health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees prepare 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some 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 Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in La Vernia TX Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s La Vernia TX residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the La Vernia TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure 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 need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few La Vernia TX physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program selections. It may also be a good idea 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the La Vernia TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have partnerships with La Vernia TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the La Vernia health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their La Vernia TX home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the La Vernia TX area, make sure that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near La Vernia Texas?

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

La Vernia, Texas

La Vernia is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. La Vernia is located is on the south bank of Cibolo Creek at the junction of U.S. Highway 87 and Texas Farm to Market Road 775, about twenty-five miles southeast of downtown San Antonio.[3] The population was 1,034 in the 2010 census.[4] and has an estimated population of 1,300 in 2015[5] La Vernia is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The La Vernia area was first inhabited by the Coahuiltecan speaking peoples of Texas and subsequently by nomadic bands of Apache and Comanche who migrated to Texas in the 17th century. One of the earliest land grants made was to Erastus "Deaf" Smith. Smith married Guadalupe Ruiz Durán, a Mexican citizen, who was descended from one of the original Tejano or Spanish Texas families;[6] and as such, received a land grant from the Mexican government on Cibolo Creek, north of present-day La Vernia in 1825. This area remained primarily unsettled by Europeans until 1837, when veterans from the Texas Revolution began to arrive.

La Vernia was first settled in earnest around 1850. W. R. Wiseman of Mississippi, who organized a Presbyterian church at the site around 1851, is said to have named the place Live Oak Grove, for a grove of trees nearby.[7]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near La Vernia TX

Choosing the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in La Vernia TX.