Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Kaysville UT

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Kaysville 84037

Kaysville UT physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Kaysville UT is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Kaysville UT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Kaysville UT 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 individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Kaysville UT health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Kaysville UT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Kaysville UT area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate 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. Practical or 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 available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kaysville UT While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kaysville UT residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, 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 schools within the Kaysville UT area and across Utah, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Kaysville UT physical therapy clinics 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 prudent to contact the Utah Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Kaysville UT area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Utah or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Kaysville UT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to receive 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 students and graduates form professional connections in the Kaysville health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Kaysville UT home. Those 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 bear in mind 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

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

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Kaysville UT area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kaysville Utah?

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

Kaysville, Utah

Kaysville is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 27,300 at the 2010 census,[4] with an estimated population of 29,494 in 2014.[5]

Shortly after Mormon pioneers arrived in 1847, the Kaysville area, originally known as "Kay's Creek" or Kay's Ward,[6] was settled by Hector Haight in 1850[7] as a farming community. He had been sent north to find feed for the stock and soon thereafter constructed a cabin and brought his family to settle the area. Farmington, Utah also claims Hector Haight as its original settler. Two miles north of Haight's original settlement, Samuel Holmes built a cabin in 1849 and was soon joined by other settlers from Salt Lake, namely Edward Phillips, John Green, and William Kay.[8]

An adobe meetinghouse was built in 1863. It was replaced by the Kaysville Tabernacle in 1914. In 1930 Kaysville had 992 people. Of those residents who were Mormon, they all were in the Kaysville Ward which also covered most of the rest of the Kaysville Precinct.[9] By 2008 there were seven Mormon stakes (similar to a diocese) in Kaysville.[10]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Kaysville UT

Picking the right physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Kaysville UT.