Receiving a physical therapist degree near Steilacoom WA is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Steilacoom WA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Osteoporosis and Arthritis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Steilacoom WA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Steilacoom WA area:

• Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Steilacoom WA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Steilacoom WA area and across Washington, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 select an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Steilacoom WA 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 recommendations about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Washington Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Steilacoom WA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Washington or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Steilacoom WA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Steilacoom health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Steilacoom WA home. Those who have opted to attend classes online 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 keep 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 colleges supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Steilacoom WA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Steilacoom Washington?

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

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Steilacoom WA

Selecting the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Steilacoom WA.

A Few More Interesting Locations in Washington

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8909 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Ste C, Lakewood, WA 98499

 

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