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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Slaton 79364

Slaton TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Slaton TX is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Slaton TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Slaton TX hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Slaton TX health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Slaton TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered 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 progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Slaton TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion 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 offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Slaton TX Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Slaton TX residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs 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 Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Slaton TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Slaton TX physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program options. It might also be prudent to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Slaton TX area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies 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 therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have relationships with Slaton TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Slaton medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost 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 therapy colleges you are reviewing 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 talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Slaton TX residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Slaton TX area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Slaton Texas?

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

Slaton, Texas

Slaton is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,121 at the 2010 census.[3] The population in 2016 had decreased to 6,062. It is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Slaton is on the level plains of the Llano Estacado. The nearest significant geographical feature is Yellow House Canyon, which is 3 miles (5 km) to the northeast. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 5.5 square miles (14.3 km2), of which 5.5 square miles (14.2 km2) are land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.56%, is covered by water.[3]

As of the census[2] of 2000, 6,109 people, 2,253 households, and 1,610 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,126.7 people per square mile (435.2/km²). The 2,565 housing units averaged 473.1 per square mile (182.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.35% White, 7.76% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 17.07% from other races, and 1.98% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 42.27% of the population.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Slaton TX

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish 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 options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Slaton TX.