Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Fieldale VA

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Fieldale 24089

Fieldale VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Fieldale VA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with 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 the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Fieldale VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Fieldale VA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people 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 resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Fieldale VA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Fieldale VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target 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 offered in the Fieldale VA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fieldale VA Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs 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 near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Fieldale VA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Fieldale VA area and throughout Virginia, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 select an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Fieldale VA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Virginia 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 Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Fieldale VA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Virginia 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 therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Fieldale VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Fieldale health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Fieldale VA home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online 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 bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Fieldale VA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fieldale Virginia?

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

Fieldale, Virginia

The area was first settled in 1760 by planter George Waller, an officer in the state militia who was later promoted to Colonel, and his wife Ann Winston (Carr), first cousin of statesman Patrick Henry, as a protected ford across the Smith River.[3] The local militia trained on Col. Waller's acreage.[4] The settlement was subsequently known as Waller's Ford for over a century. A Virginia Historical Highway Marker unveiled in September 2007 marks the location of Col. Waller's plantation.[5] In 1916, Marshall Field & Company purchased the site from the Waller heirs and established Fieldcrest Mills, the town of Fieldale, and an 8,500-square-foot (790 m2) company clubhouse, all completed in 1919.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 929 people, 420 households, and 275 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 575.6 people per square mile (222.8/km²). There were 473 housing units at an average density of 293.1/sq mi (113.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.20% White, 1.83% African American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 420 households out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.78.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Fieldale VA

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Fieldale VA.