Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Thousand Palms CA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Thousand Palms 92276

Thousand Palms CA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Thousand Palms CA is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Thousand Palms CA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Thousand Palms CA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Thousand Palms CA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee 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 considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Thousand Palms CA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Thousand Palms CA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing 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 total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Thousand Palms CA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more 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 close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Thousand Palms CA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Thousand Palms CA area and across California, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned 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 choose an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for 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. Get in touch with a few Thousand Palms CA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It may 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 schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Thousand Palms CA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for California or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have associations with Thousand Palms CA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Thousand Palms health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Thousand Palms CA home. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Thousand Palms CA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Thousand Palms California?

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

Thousand Palms, California

Thousand Palms is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 7,715 at the 2010 census, up from 5,120 at the 2000 census.

Thousand Palms is located at 33°49′01″N 116°23′14″W / 33.816868°N 116.387143°W / 33.816868; -116.387143.[3] It borders the cities of Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 23.6 square miles (61 km2), all of it land.

The 2010 United States Census[5] reported that Thousand Palms had a population of 7,715. The population density was 326.4 people per square mile (126.0/km²). The racial makeup of Thousand Palms was 5,763 (74.7%) White, 105 (1.4%) African American, 75 (1.0%) Native American, 129 (1.7%) Asian, 10 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,422 (18.4%) from other races, and 211 (2.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,051 persons (52.5%).

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Thousand Palms CA

Choosing the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Thousand Palms CA.