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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Training Program near Santaquin 84655

Santaquin UT physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Santaquin UT is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated 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 receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Santaquin UT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Santaquin UT private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Santaquin UT medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Santaquin UT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate 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. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Santaquin UT area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created 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 essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the United States. A number of 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 Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Santaquin UT While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Santaquin UT home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Santaquin UT area and throughout Utah, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. 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 considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 enroll in an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Santaquin UT physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It may also be a good idea 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 two significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Santaquin UT area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both superior 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Santaquin UT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Santaquin healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Santaquin UT home. Those who have decided to attend online classes 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Santaquin UT area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative 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 illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Santaquin Utah?

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

Santaquin, Utah

Santaquin (/ˈsæntəkwɪn/ SAN-tə-kwin) is a city in Utah and Juab counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,128 at the 2010 census.[3]

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Santaquin has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[4]

Santaquin, one of the early settlements along the Salt Lake Road, was originally settled in late 1851. It was originally named Summit City because of its location at the summit of the divide between Utah Valley and Juab Valley. Summit City was settled by pioneers who were helping settle nearby Payson to the north. In 1856 it was renamed Santaquin for the son of Guffich, a local native chieftain friendly to the settlers.[5]

Choose the Best Physical Therapy School near Santaquin UT

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize 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 options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Santaquin UT.