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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Wallis 77485

Wallis TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Wallis TX is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Wallis TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Wallis TX private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Wallis TX medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Wallis TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Wallis TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wallis TX While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Wallis TX residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Wallis TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to make certain that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools 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 schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Wallis TX physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Wallis TX area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both excellent 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Wallis TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Wallis health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical 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 talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Wallis TX home. Students who have opted 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. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Wallis TX area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Wallis Texas?

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

Wallis, Texas

Wallis is a city in far southeastern Austin County, Texas, United States. The city is located along State Highway 36 (SH 36) and the BNSF Railway between Rosenberg and Sealy. The city's population was 1,252 at the 2010 census.[3]

Wallis is located at 29°37′50″N 96°3′46″W / 29.63056°N 96.06278°W / 29.63056; -96.06278 (29.630649, -96.062751).[4] SH 36 heads northwest from Wallis to Sealy in Austin County and east-southeast from Wallis to Rosenberg in Fort Bend County. The BNSF Railway runs parallel with SH 36 on the north side of the highway. State Highway 60 starts in the west part of Wallis and goes south to East Bernard. Farm to Market Road 1093 continues northeast to Simonton in Fort Bend County and west-southwest to Eagle Lake in Colorado County. Farm to Market Road 1952 begins in the east part of Wallis and goes south and east to Tavener in Fort Bend County. The Google Maps service shows one Catholic, two Lutheran and one Baptist churches in Wallis. A number of businesses operate in the city including Wallis State Bank and City Food Mart.[5]

In 1830 the first Anglo-Americans made their homes in the area between the Brazos and San Bernard rivers. When the settlement got a post office in 1873, its name was Bovine Bend. Sometime after 1880, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was constructed through the community from Galveston to Brenham. At that time, the town was renamed Wallis Station after J. E. Wallis, the director of the railroad. In 1887 the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, being built east toward Houston, reached Wallis. Starting in about 1890, Czech immigrants began moving into the area. By 1904 there were 631 souls living in Wallis. In 1911, the town dropped "Station" from its name to become Wallis. Seven years later its school had 100 students. Between 1925 and 1943 the population grew from 800 to 900. By the latter year the town boasted 39 businesses. After declining to 690 in 1949, the number of inhabitants increased to 1,075 by 1966. A decade later, the city claimed to have a bank, library, and a newspaper, as well as two schools and eight churches. In 1991 there were 1,411 people and 15 commercial establishments. The population declined to 1,311 in 2000[6] and to 1,252 in 2010. In 2013 the BNSF Railway still operated along the one-time Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway right-of-way, while the east-west railroad line no longer existed.[5]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Wallis TX

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Wallis TX.