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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Riverton 84065

Riverton UT physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Riverton UT is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Riverton UT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Riverton UT hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Riverton UT health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Riverton UT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals 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 emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Riverton UT area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Riverton UT Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Riverton UT home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Riverton UT area and throughout Utah, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, 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 can also obtain 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 simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Riverton UT physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. It might also be prudent to contact the Utah Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Riverton UT 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 large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Utah or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Riverton UT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Riverton healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

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 Riverton UT residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide 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 normally 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 Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Riverton UT area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Riverton Utah?

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

Riverton, Utah

Riverton is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 38,753 at the 2010 census, but has since grown to over 43,000.[3] Riverton is located in the rapidly growing southwestern corner of the Salt Lake Valley.[4]

In January 2016, city leaders approved an agreement to develop 543 acres of open land in western Riverton. The land was formerly owned by Suburban Land Reserve, a real estate arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[6]

A major portion of that land is being developed to include a mixed-use shopping center called Mountain View Village. CenterCal Properties, the retail development company behind Station Park in Farmington, is the developer for the project.[6]

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Riverton UT

Selecting the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak with active 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 adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Riverton UT.