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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Troutville 24175

Troutville VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Troutville VA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Troutville VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Troutville VA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Troutville VA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Troutville VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Troutville VA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate 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 must also 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 overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Troutville VA Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Troutville VA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Troutville VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting 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. Get in touch with some Troutville VA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It may 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 need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Troutville VA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Troutville VA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner 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 may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Troutville healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Troutville VA home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Troutville VA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Troutville Virginia?

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

Troutville, Virginia

The railroad reached this location in 1881, and a station was built, but the area had no name. As three nearby houses were occupied by the brothers John, Jim, and George Trout, the area was called Troutsville. It became an important shipping center in the 1890s. In 1895, Troutsville was a thriving town with an active shipping point, farming, canneries, packing houses and factories. The name of the town was later changed to Troutville.

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 431 people, 194 households, and 126 families residing in the town. The population density was 478.9 people per square mile (187.4/km2). There were 226 housing units at an average density of 251.1 per square mile (98.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.9% White, 1.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.

There were 194 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.74.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist College near Troutville VA

Picking the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish 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 ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Troutville VA.