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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Nokesville 20181

Nokesville VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Nokesville VA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a superior 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 cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Nokesville VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Nokesville VA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Nokesville VA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Nokesville VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Nokesville VA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may 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 made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Nokesville VA While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Nokesville VA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Nokesville VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Nokesville VA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It may also be prudent to contact the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Nokesville VA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Nokesville VA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Nokesville health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. 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 converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Nokesville VA residence. Individuals who have decided 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 concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Nokesville VA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Nokesville Virginia?

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

Nokesville, Virginia

Nokesville is the center of a farming community with cattle and dairy farms; it became a town and intermediate stop on the Orange & Alexandria Railway in 1865. In the late 19th century–early 20th century, Nokesville was the location of a religious movement called the German Baptist Brethren, which became known as the Church of the Brethren. In the 1950s, it was cut off from passenger trains and remains a rural community today.

Nokesville consists of four schools in Prince William. The oldest school, Nokesville Elementary was built in 1929 to serve all grades until 1964 when it was lowered to K-5 with the construction of Brentsville District High School. In 2014, Nokesville Elementary moved to a new building that was built next to Brentsville District High School on Aden Road. This new school is called The Nokesville School and serves a K-8 community. The old school was sold and is now a Montessori school. Patriot High School is located on Kettle Run Road, and was opened in 2011. Built concurrently, next door is T. Clay Wood Elementary School. The Nokesville postal delivery area consists of two schools in Fauquier. Kettle Run High School and Greenville Elementary are both new schools built on the Fauquier County side of Nokesville.

Union and Confederate forces passed by or camped here frequently during the war. Federal units pursuing Stonewall Jackson to Manassas Junction camped here in August 1862; fighting involving John S. Mosby's rangers flared near here and Confederates marched past on the way to nearby Bristoe Station in October 1863.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist School near Nokesville VA

Picking the best physical therapy program is a necessary 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 school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Nokesville VA.