Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Elizabeth WV

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Elizabeth 26143

Elizabeth WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Elizabeth WV is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Elizabeth WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Elizabeth WV hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Elizabeth WV health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Elizabeth WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered 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. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Elizabeth WV area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can 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 community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Elizabeth WV While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature 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 nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Elizabeth WV home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Elizabeth WV area and throughout West Virginia, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Elizabeth WV physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the West Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Elizabeth WV area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for West Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Elizabeth WV hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain 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 may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Elizabeth health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical 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 talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Elizabeth WV residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. 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 need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Elizabeth WV area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Elizabeth West Virginia?

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

Elizabeth, West Virginia

The site of Elizabeth was first settled by William Beauchamp (1743-1808) in 1796 when it was still part of the original, vast Harrison County, Virginia. It was known as "Beauchamp's Mills" until 1817 when it was renamed for Elizabeth (Woodyard) Beauchamp (1780-1838), the wife of William's son David Beauchamp (1776-1828).[8][9] Elizabeth was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1822[10] and became the county seat when Wirt County was created in 1848.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Elizabeth has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[12]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 823 people, 377 households, and 228 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,751.1 inhabitants per square mile (676.1/km2). There were 437 housing units at an average density of 929.8 per square mile (359.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% White, 0.7% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2% of the population.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Elizabeth WV

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Elizabeth WV.