Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - New Caney TX

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near New Caney 77357

New Caney TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near New Caney TX is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

New Caney TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as New Caney TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other New Caney TX medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, 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

New Caney TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the New Caney TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and usually include 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in New Caney TX While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, 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 nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s New Caney TX residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the New Caney TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, 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 may also obtain 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. Additionally, 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 might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few New Caney TX physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight 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 submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the New Caney TX area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with New Caney TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the New Caney healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their New Caney TX residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the New Caney TX area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near New Caney Texas?

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

New Caney, Texas

New Caney is an Unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Texas, United States within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. As of 2010, the population of the New Caney area is 19,987.[1]

New Caney was established in 1862 under the name Presswood, named for pioneers Austin and Sarah Waters Presswood.[2] Captain John Robertson and other settlers followed, and cattle ranches, mills, and stores were opened along Caney Creek.[3] In 1877, the town received a railroad from the East and West Texas Railway, and Caney Station became a shipping point for imports and exports, bringing more business to the area.[2] In 1882, Presswood received its first post office, registered under the name New Caney, as the name Caney already was in use by another Texas town.[2] This development led to the name of Presswood falling out of use, as New Caney became the preferred term.

In 1884, the population of New Caney was sixty people.[2] By 1892, it had grown to 150 residents and was able to support several general stores.[2] Throughout the 20th century, the community continued to expand.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near New Caney TX

Deciding on the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach 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 options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in New Caney TX.