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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Mercedes 78570

Mercedes TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Mercedes TX is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Mercedes TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Mercedes TX private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Mercedes TX health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Mercedes TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Mercedes TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mercedes TX While not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Mercedes TX residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Mercedes TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 enroll in an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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. Call several Mercedes TX physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. 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 important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Mercedes TX area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Mercedes TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Mercedes health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Mercedes TX residence. Students 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 importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Mercedes TX area, verify 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 enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mercedes Texas?

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

Mercedes, Texas

Mercedes is located in southeastern Hidalgo County at 26°8′58″N 97°55′7″W / 26.14944°N 97.91861°W / 26.14944; -97.91861 (26.149315, -97.918675).[4] It is bordered to the west by Weslaco and to the east, in Cameron County, by La Feria.

The Interstate 2/U.S. Route 83 freeway passes through the northern side of Mercedes, leading west 21 miles (34 km) to McAllen and east 14 miles (23 km) to Harlingen. Mercedes is 9 miles (14 km) north of the Progreso–Nuevo Progreso International Bridge over the Rio Grande, connecting Texas with the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Mercedes has a total area of 11.5 square miles (29.8 km2), of which 11.4 square miles (29.6 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.55%, are water.[3]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Mercedes TX

Deciding on the right physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Mercedes TX.