Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cheswold DE

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near Cheswold 19936

Cheswold DE physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Cheswold DE is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

Cheswold DE physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Cheswold DE hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Cheswold DE medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Cheswold DE physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Cheswold DE area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cheswold DE Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cheswold DE residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Cheswold DE area and throughout Delaware, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’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 agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Cheswold DE physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Delaware Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Cheswold DE area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Delaware 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 program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have associations with Cheswold DE hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way 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 assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Cheswold medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical 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 determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Cheswold DE home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes 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 choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might 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, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Cheswold DE area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option 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 might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cheswold Delaware?

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

Cheswold, Delaware

The town was incorporated in 1856 following the construction of the Delaware Railroad. When the town was founded, the population consisted of Lenni Lenape, blacks, and whites, who were mainly Dutch and referred to as Moors. The town was home to a railroad station called Leipsic Station, named for the nearby town of Leipsic. The community became a shipping point for grain and fruit that was grown in the area. By 1860, the town had 35 homes, three general stores, a wheelwright, a brickyard, and a grain warehouse.[5]

Prior to 1888, Cheswold was called Moorton after landowner James S. Moore.[5][6] The town was also known as Leipsic Station after the railroad station. In 1888, a contest was held to rename the town, and Cheswold was chosen. Cheswold is a combination of "chess", from a large group of chestnut trees, and "wold", which stands for forest of trees.[5]

Cheswold is the birthplace J. Caleb Boggs, who served as Governor of Delaware, three terms as U.S. Representative, and two terms as U.S. Senator. The town was home to the Cheswold Tigers, a minor league baseball team that existed from 1950 to 1960 and was known for a winning record. In the 21st century, Cheswold faced a period of financial issues but has seen its economy improve.[5]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Cheswold DE

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Cheswold DE.