Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Madison Heights VA

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Madison Heights 24572

Madison Heights VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Madison Heights VA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Madison Heights VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Madison Heights VA 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Madison Heights VA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Madison Heights VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Madison Heights VA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered 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 mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Madison Heights VA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Madison Heights VA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want 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 Madison Heights VA area and across Virginia, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact some Madison Heights VA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Virginia 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 useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Madison Heights VA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Virginia or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Madison Heights VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Madison Heights healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing 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 ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Madison Heights VA home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally 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 choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Madison Heights VA area, make sure that they are available. 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 protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Madison Heights Virginia?

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

Madison Heights, Virginia

Madison Heights is a census-designated place (CDP) in Amherst County, Virginia, United States. The population was 11,285 at the 2010 census.[3] It is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 19.5 square miles (50.6 km2), of which 19.2 square miles (49.7 km2) is land and 0.31 square miles (0.8 km2), or 1.67%, is water.[6]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11,584 people, 4,451 households, and 3,182 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 600.7 people per square mile (232.0/km²). There were 4,656 housing units at an average density of 241.5/sq mi (93.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 77.80% White, 19.57% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.58% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Madison Heights VA

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Madison Heights VA.