Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Reedley CA

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Reedley 93654

Reedley CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Reedley CA is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in 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 along with location and cost. 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?

Reedley CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Reedley CA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Reedley CA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Reedley CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Reedley CA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom 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 available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Reedley CA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Reedley CA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Reedley CA area and throughout California, 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 enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 choose an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Reedley CA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One 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, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Reedley CA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for California or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Reedley CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Reedley health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Reedley CA residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Reedley CA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Reedley California?

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

Reedley, California

Reedley is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. Reedley is located in the San Joaquin Valley, 22 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Fresno,[9] at an elevation of 348 feet (106 m).[7] The population at the 2010 census was 24,194. Its chief economic source is agriculture, particularly fruit and vegetable cultivation. The city dubs itself "The World's Fruit Basket".[1] Reedley holds many festivals year round. The city of Reedley hosts the annual Reedley Fiesta in October, the Reedley Electrical Christmas Parade in December, the Reedley Street Faire in May, the Reedley Certified Farmers Market (Wednesday evening, in the summer), the Reedley Taste of the Town in September, and many other festivities to keep the residents and visitors busy and entertained. Reedley is situated along the Kings River and in the summer, many local residents and visitors drive to Cricket Hollow Park and Reedley Beach.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13 km2), of which, 5.1 square miles (13 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (1.39%) is water.

The 2010 United States Census[12] reported that Reedley had a population of 24,194. The population density was 4,693.2 people per square mile (1,800/km²). The racial makeup of Reedley was 14,105 (7001583000000000000♠58.3%) White, 169 (6999700000000000000♠0.7%) African American, 267 (7000110000000000000♠1.1%) Native American, 797 (7000330000000000000♠3.3%) Asian, 8 (6998300000000000000♠0.03%) Pacific Islander, 7,850 (7001324000000000000♠32.4%) from other races, and 998 (7000410009999999999♠4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18,455 persons (7001763000000000000♠76.3%).

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Reedley CA

Choosing the best physical therapy school is an important first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. 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 therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve 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 right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Reedley CA.