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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy College near Richmond 23218

Richmond VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Richmond VA is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Richmond VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Richmond VA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Richmond VA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Richmond VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as 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 brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Richmond VA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Richmond VA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Richmond VA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower 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 can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Richmond VA area and throughout Virginia, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 also. Call a few Richmond VA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with 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 useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Richmond VA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of 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 therapy colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Richmond VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Richmond health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big 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 undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Richmond VA home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Richmond VA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Richmond Virginia?

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

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond Region. Richmond was incorporated in 1742 and has been an independent city since 1871.

As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 204,214;[4] in 2016, the population was estimated to be 223,170,[4] making Richmond the fourth-most populous city in Virginia. The Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029, the third-most populous metro in the state.

Richmond is located at the fall line of the James River, 44 miles (71 km) west of Williamsburg, 66 miles (106 km) east of Charlottesville, 100 miles (160 km) east of Lynchburg mile and 98 miles (158 km) south of Washington, D.C. Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties, the city is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, and encircled by Interstate 295 and Virginia State Route 288. Major suburbs include Midlothian to the southwest, Chesterfield to the south, Varina to the southeast, Sandston to the east, Glen Allen to the north and west, Short Pump to the west and Mechanicsville to the northeast.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Richmond VA

Choosing the best physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Richmond VA.