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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Training Program near Pecos 79772

Pecos TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Pecos TX is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must 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 address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Pecos TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Pecos 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Pecos TX medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather 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 Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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 attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pecos TX While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so 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 part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pecos TX residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Pecos TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Pecos TX physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be prudent to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, 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 Pecos TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Pecos TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Pecos healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical 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 determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Pecos TX home. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pecos TX area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, 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 might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pecos Texas?

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

Pecos, Texas

Pecos (/ˈpeɪkəs/ PAY-kəs[3]) is the largest city in and the county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States.[4] It is in the valley on the west bank of the Pecos River at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, in the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas and just below New Mexico's border. The population was 8,780 at the 2010 census. On January 24, 2012, Pecos City appeared on the Forbes 400 as the second fastest-growing small town in the United States.[5] The city is a regional commercial center for ranching, oil and gas production and agriculture. The city is most recognized for its association with the local cultivation of cantaloupes.[6][7] Pecos claims to be the site of the world's first rodeo on July 4, 1883.[8]

Pecos is one of the numerous towns in western Texas organized around a train depot during the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway. These towns were subsequently linked by the construction of U.S. Highway 80 and Interstate 20. Prior to the arrival of the railroad, a permanent camp existed nearby where cattle drives crossed the Pecos River. With the introduction of irrigation from underground aquifers, the city became a center of commerce for extensive local agricultural production of cotton, onions and cantaloupes. The introduction of large-scale sulfur mining in adjacent Culberson County during the 1960s led to significant economic and population growth.[9] The growth was reversed after mining operations ceased in the 1990s.

In 1962 Pecos resident and tycoon Billie Sol Estes was indicted for fraud by a federal grand jury. Estes extensive machinations caused a national level scandal, and a resultant shakeup at the Department of Agriculture. Oscar Griffin, Jr. of the Pecos Independent and Enterprise newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking the story.[10]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Pecos TX

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Pecos TX.