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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist School near Temple 76501

Temple TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Temple TX is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose 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 besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Temple TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Temple 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Temple TX health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Temple TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, 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 readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Temple 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often 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 also must 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 overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Temple TX Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, 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 school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Temple TX home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Temple TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Temple TX physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Temple TX area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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 school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Temple TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Temple medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher 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 instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Temple TX residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Temple TX area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Temple Texas?

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

Temple, Texas

Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas and is a principal city in the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area, which as of 2015 had a population of 450,051.[4] Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles (105 km) north of Austin and 34 miles (55 km) south of Waco.

Temple has developed as a small city with a number of arts and retail amenities not typically associated with a smaller community. The primary economic drivers are the extensive medical community (mostly due to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center) and goods distribution based on its central location between the Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston metro areas, and proximity to larger neighbors Austin and Waco.

Temple was founded as a railroad town in 1881, by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. It was incorporated in 1882.[5] The town was named after a Santa Fe Railroad official, Bernard Moore Temple.[6] Temple was a civil engineer and former surveyor with the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Temple TX

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to see 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 practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Temple TX.