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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Timpson 75975

Timpson TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Timpson TX is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Timpson TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Timpson TX private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Timpson TX medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite 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 Therapist Degree Options

Timpson TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable 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 summaries of degrees that are available in the Timpson TX area:

Associate Degrees train students to become 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 usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 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 mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Timpson TX While not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Timpson TX home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Timpson TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Timpson TX physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Timpson TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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 therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Timpson TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Timpson healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Timpson TX home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

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

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Timpson TX area, verify that they are offered. 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 enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Timpson Texas?

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

Timpson, Texas

Like all "railroad" towns Timpson was laid out with the railroad, and not north and south as most towns are. Therefore, the streets run at an angle of 43 degrees "off". When the town was incorporated, Charlie Noblet's map was adopted and is now on record at the county seat, and is the official map of the city today.[5]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,094 people, 456 households, and 269 families residing in the city. The population density was 437.3 people per square mile (169.0/km²). There were 559 housing units at an average density of 223.4 per square mile (86.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.51% White, 35.56% Black, 0.64% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 2.38% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.48% of the population.

There were 456 households out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.18.

Select the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Timpson TX

Choosing the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your final decision. You may want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Timpson TX.