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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Tomball 77375

Tomball TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Tomball TX is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Tomball TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Tomball TX private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Tomball TX health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Tomball TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become 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 short explanations of degrees that are available in the Tomball TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer offered 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 mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Tomball TX Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature 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 in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Tomball TX home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Tomball TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received 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 program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist 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 organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into 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 also. Call a few Tomball TX physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact 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 Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might 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 Tomball TX area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with Tomball TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Tomball health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Tomball TX residence. 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 area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Tomball TX area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Tomball Texas?

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

Tomball, Texas

Tomball (/ˈtɒmbɔːl/ TOM-bawl) is a city in Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, a part of the Houston metropolitan area. The population was 10,753 at the 2010 census.[5] In 1907, the community of Peck was renamed Tomball for local congressman Thomas Henry Ball, who had a major role in the development of the Port of Houston.[6]

On September 7, 2010, the Tomball City Council voted down a proposal to make English the official language of the city, and it voted down a measure that would have forbidden illegal immigrants from owning and/or renting property and operating and/or owning businesses.[9]

Settlement began in the Tomball area in the early 19th century, where settlers found an open, fertile land that received adequate rainfall—perfect conditions for farming and raising cattle. It was on a land granted in 1838 to William Hurd's heirs. In 1906 the area began to boom. Railroad line engineers often noticed that the Tomball area was on the boundary between the low hills of Texas and the flat coastal plains of the Gulf, making it an ideal location for a train stop. The railroad could load more cargo on each car, because the topography gently sloped toward the Galveston ports and provided an easier downhill coast. Thomas Henry Ball, an attorney for the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad, convinced the railroad to run the line right through downtown Tomball. Soon after, people came in droves to this new train stop. Hotels, boarding houses, saloons, and mercantile stores all began to spring up in the area. At first, people called the area Peck, after a chief civil engineer of the railroad line. However, on December 2, 1907, the town was officially named Tom Ball, later to be shortened to one word, for Mr. Ball.[10][11]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist College near Tomball TX

Choosing the right physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Tomball TX.