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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Stephenville 76401

Stephenville TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Stephenville TX is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Stephenville TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Stephenville TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

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

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Stephenville TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Stephenville TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete 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 three years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Stephenville TX While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Stephenville TX home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Stephenville TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Stephenville TX physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out because of 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Stephenville TX area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working. 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 vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Stephenville TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Stephenville health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Stephenville TX home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously 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 even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Stephenville TX area, make sure that they are available. 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 need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Stephenville Texas?

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

Stephenville, Texas

Stephenville is a city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States.[3] The population was 20,797 in 2017 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University. Stephenville is among several communities that call themselves the "Cowboy Capital of the World".

Stephenville is named after John M. Stephen, who settled there in 1854 and donated the land for the townsite laid out by George B. Erath when the county was organized in 1856. In the first two years of its settlement, the townsite was successful; by 1858 the population reached 776. However the townsite was located in Comanche territory and raids were common. Also the hardships of the American Civil War forced citizens to leave. The population declined until 1871 when it grew after Stephenville became an agriculture and livestock center. Coal mining also became important to the area in 1886 and was a major segment of the economy for the following three decades.

Stephenville was incorporated in 1889, with the arrival of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway. In the 1890s, many of the buildings around the town square were built, Tarleton State University opened, and the community's two newspapers merged to become the Empire-Tribune, which is still in existence. In February 1907 the Stephenville North and South Texas Railway was chartered by Stephenville and Hamilton business interests which later sold the line in 1910 to the historic St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas system. In the 20th century industry became an important part of Stephenville, and the population has steadily increased since the 1920s.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Stephenville TX

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Stephenville TX.