Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - San Lorenzo CA

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near San Lorenzo 94580

San Lorenzo CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near San Lorenzo CA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

San Lorenzo CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including San Lorenzo CA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other San Lorenzo CA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

San Lorenzo CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the San Lorenzo CA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in San Lorenzo CA While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s San Lorenzo CA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the San Lorenzo CA area and throughout California, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school 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. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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 also. Call some San Lorenzo CA physical therapy clinics or other medical 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 may also be a good idea to contact the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the San Lorenzo CA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for California 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 program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with San Lorenzo CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional connections in the San Lorenzo medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor 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 perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their San Lorenzo CA 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 concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the San Lorenzo CA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near San Lorenzo California?

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

San Lorenzo, California

San Lorenzo, also known as San Lorenzo Village, is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area in Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 23,452 at the 2010 census. It is an unincorporated community, located at the banks of San Lorenzo Creek. It was originally named Squattersville in 1851, but later renamed to San Lorenzo.[6]

In 1944, under contract to the U.S. Navy, The David D. Bohannon Company began construction of San Lorenzo Village, which was one of the nation's first planned communities, with parcels designated for schools, churches, parks, and several retail centers. Bohannon's pioneering pre-cutting techniques, referred to as the "California method," were used in later developments, such as the more famous Levittown, Pennsylvania.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2), of which, 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) is land and 0.24% is water. San Lorenzo Creek runs partly through the town. It is located between the incorporated cities of San Leandro to the north and Hayward to the south.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy School near San Lorenzo CA

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in San Lorenzo CA.