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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Hockessin 19707

Hockessin DE physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Hockessin DE is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in 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 cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hockessin DE physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Hockessin DE private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Hockessin DE health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Hockessin DE physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Hockessin DE area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although 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 take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hockessin DE Although 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, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hockessin DE home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar 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 advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Hockessin DE area and across Delaware, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, 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 choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Hockessin DE physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Delaware Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hockessin DE area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have relationships with Hockessin DE hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Hockessin medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Hockessin DE home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college 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 ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hockessin DE area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Hockessin Delaware?

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

Hockessin, Delaware

Hockessin /ˈhoʊkɛsɪn/ is a census-designated place (CDP) in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 13,527 at the 2010 census. The place name may be derived from the Lenape word "hòkèsa" meaning "pieces of bark" or from a misspelling of "occasion," as pronounced by the Quakers who settled the area originally.[citation needed]

The A. Armstrong Farm, Coffee Run Mission Site, Hockessin Friends Meetinghouse, T. Pierson Farm, Public School No. 29, Springer Farm, and Wilmington and Western Railroad are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[3]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 12,902 people, 4,464 households, and 3,731 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,286.7 people per square mile (496.7/km²). There were 4,575 housing units at an average density of 456.3 per square mile (176.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.82% White, 2.65% African American, 0.07% Native American, 7.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population. From 1990 to 2016, the population of Hockessin has grown by about 35%.[6]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Hockessin DE

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Hockessin DE.