Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Rowland Heights CA

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Rowland Heights 91748

Rowland Heights CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Rowland Heights CA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy 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 home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Rowland Heights CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Rowland Heights CA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Rowland Heights CA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Rowland Heights CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees 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 available in the Rowland Heights CA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally 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 must also 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 complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 offered 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 prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rowland Heights CA While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Rowland Heights CA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Rowland Heights CA area and throughout California, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it can also earn 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. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Rowland Heights CA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Rowland Heights CA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for California 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 therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have relationships with Rowland Heights CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Rowland Heights healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Rowland Heights CA residence. Students who have chosen 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 concern. One thing 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 might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Rowland Heights CA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rowland Heights California?

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

Rowland Heights, California

Rowland Heights is a relatively affluent unincorporated area and census designated place of 13.1 square miles (34 km2), located in and below the Puente Hills in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California and borders Orange County. The population of the census designated place (CDP) was 48,993 at the 2010 census. Rowland Heights is dependent upon representation from the County of Los Angeles (County Board of Supervisors).[3] Rowland Heights is the largest census designated place in Los Angeles County by area and the county's fourth largest CDP by population.[4] Rowland Heights sits in the 39th Congressional District, which is considered to be a Republican stronghold due to the large number of business owners and other high-net-worth individuals.

Spering's Best Places ranks Rowland Heights, Los Angeles County, California at #2 in "Most Comfortable Summer Cities." Rowland Heights has an average household income at one of the top-earning percentiles in the country at $99,354, while the median household income is $83,606; compared to Los Angeles, where the average household income is $81,225, and the median household income is $56,993. Rowland Heights is primarily residential with several shopping centers and restaurants.

A number of corporations, particularly in the technology and import/export businesses, are located in neighboring City of Industry. Many business owners and employees, therefore, reside in Rowland Heights as well as Hacienda Heights, and Walnut due to the close vicinity.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Rowland Heights CA

Selecting the best physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Rowland Heights CA.