Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Hawthorne FL

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Hawthorne 32640

Hawthorne FL physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapist degree near Hawthorne FL is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Hawthorne FL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Hawthorne FL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Hawthorne FL health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Hawthorne FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students 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 advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Hawthorne FL 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 earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to 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 a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hawthorne FLAlthough not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hawthorne FL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Hawthorne FL area and throughout Florida, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 select an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Hawthorne FL physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hawthorne FL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Florida or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have partnerships with Hawthorne FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Hawthorne health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance 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 a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Hawthorne FL residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hawthorne FL area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hawthorne Florida?

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

Hawthorne, Florida

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.0 square miles (13.0 km2), of which 4.8 square miles (12.4 km2) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.6 km2) (4.33%) is water.[5]

As of the census[10] of 2010, there were 1,417 people, 561 households, and 357 families residing in the city. The population density was 295.2 inhabitants per square mile (114.2/km²). There were 681 housing units at an average density of 141.9 per square mile (54.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 52.4% European American, 45.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 561 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.534 and the average family size was 3.15.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Hawthorne FL

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Hawthorne FL.

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