Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – San Ramon CA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near San Ramon 94583

San Ramon CA physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapy degree near San Ramon CA is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply 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 residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

San Ramon CA physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as San Ramon 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 stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other San Ramon CA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind 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 Therapy Degrees

San Ramon CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the San Ramon CA area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in San Ramon CAWhile not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more 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 necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s San Ramon CA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the San Ramon CA area and throughout California, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate 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 earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some San Ramon CA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the California Attorney General and school licensing authority to see 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 know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the San Ramon 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 even outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have relationships with San Ramon CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the San Ramon healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their San Ramon CA home. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the San Ramon CA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near San Ramon California?

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

San Ramon, California

San Ramon is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, located 34 miles east of San Francisco, and within the San Ramon Valley. San Ramon's population was estimated as 76,134 in mid-2015 by the US Census Bureau,[11] making it the 4th largest city in Contra Costa County, behind Richmond, Concord and Antioch.

San Ramon is home to the headquarters of Chevron, 24-Hour Fitness, the West Coast headquarters of AT&T Inc., the Global Software Center of GE, as well as the San Ramon Medical Center. Major annual events include the Art and Wind Festival on Memorial Day weekend and the Run for Education in October.

San Ramon is adjacent to Danville, California, to the north and Dublin, California, to the south. Unincorporated county lands border San Ramon to the east and west. It is located around 500 feet (150 m) above sea level. Mount Diablo flanks the city to the northeast and is prominently visible from almost all parts of the city. The Las Trampas Regional Wilderness borders San Ramon's extreme northwest, at the northern end of Bollinger Canyon. The smaller Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve straddles San Ramon's western border, located approximately between Interstate 680 and the Alameda County line.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near San Ramon CA

Picking the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize 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 appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in San Ramon CA.

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