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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Walkerton 23177

Walkerton VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Walkerton VA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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’s Job Description?

Walkerton VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Walkerton 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Walkerton VA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Walkerton VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Walkerton VA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be 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 programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and commonly 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 also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Walkerton VA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Walkerton VA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Walkerton VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting 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 organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Walkerton VA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It may 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 Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Walkerton VA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with 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 amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Walkerton VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Walkerton medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind 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. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Walkerton VA home. Students who have opted 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. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Walkerton VA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, 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 due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Walkerton Virginia?

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

Walkerton, Virginia

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Walkerton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[3]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Walkerton VA

Picking the right physical therapist school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Walkerton VA.