Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - South El Monte CA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near South El Monte 91733

South El Monte CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near South El Monte CA is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with 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?

South El Monte CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including South El Monte CA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other South El Monte CA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, 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 Offered

South El Monte CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the South El Monte CA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in South El Monte CA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s South El Monte CA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the South El Monte CA area and throughout California, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple 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 as well. Contact several South El Monte CA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent 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 College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the South El Monte CA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for California or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with South El Monte CA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the South El Monte medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their South El Monte CA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the South El Monte CA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, 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 might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South El Monte California?

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

South El Monte, California

The 2010 United States Census[9] reported that South El Monte had a population of 20,116. The population density was 7,061.5 people per square mile (2,726.4/km²). The racial makeup of South El Monte was 10,136 (50.4%) White (3.4% Non-Hispanic White), 107 (0.5%) African American, 250 (1.2%) Native American, 2,211 (11.0%) Asian, 12 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 6,718 (33.4%) from other races, and 682 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17,079 persons (84.9%).[10]

There were 4,569 households, out of which 2,643 (57.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,554 (55.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 925 (20.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 524 (11.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 329 (7.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 21 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 397 households (8.7%) were made up of individuals and 208 (4.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.39. There were 4,003 families (87.6% of all households); the average family size was 4.45.

The population was spread out with 6,041 people (30.0%) under the age of 18, 2,323 people (11.5%) aged 18 to 24, 5,894 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 4,062 people (20.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,796 people (8.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist School near South El Monte CA

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in South El Monte CA.