Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Hollywood FL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Program near Hollywood 33019

Hollywood FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Hollywood FL is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hollywood FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Hollywood FL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Hollywood FL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Hollywood FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to practice as 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 summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Hollywood FL area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four 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 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hollywood FL Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hollywood FL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Hollywood FL area and across Florida, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate 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 therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Hollywood FL physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hollywood FL 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 verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Florida 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 program. Although licensing requirements differ 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 additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Hollywood FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to receive practical experience 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 graduates and students form professional relationships in the Hollywood medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Hollywood FL residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps 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 frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Hollywood FL area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hollywood Florida?

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

Hollywood, Florida

Hollywood is a city in Broward County, Florida, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami.[6] The average temperature is between 68 and 83 °F (20 and 28 °C). As of July 1, 2015 Hollywood had a population of 149,728.[7] Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is now the twelfth-largest city in Florida.[8] Hollywood is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census.

Joseph Young arrived in South Florida in 1920 in search to create his own “Dream City in Florida” and named the town after Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. His vision included the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic ocean stretching westward with man made lakes, infrastructure, roads and the Intercostal waterway. He wanted to include large parks, schools, churches, and golf courses; these were all industries and activities which were very important to Young’s life. After Young had spent millions of dollars on construction the city, he was elected as the first mayor in 1925. This new town quickly became home to northerners known as snowbirds. These snowbirds flee the north during the winter and then escape the south during the summer to avoid the harsh climates. By 1960, Hollywood contained more than 2,400 hotel units along with the construction of 12,170 single family homes. [9] Young bought up thousands of acres of land around 1920, and named his new town "Hollywood by the Sea" to distinguish it from his other real estate venture, "Hollywood in the Hills", in New York.

Young had a vision of having lakes, golf courses, a luxury beach hotel (Hollywood Beach Hotel, now Hollywood Beach Resort), country clubs, and a main street, Hollywood Boulevard.[10] After the 1926 Miami hurricane, Hollywood was severely damaged; local newspapers reported that Hollywood was second only to Miami in losses from the storm.[9] Following Young's death in 1934, the city encountered more terrific hurricanes and the stock market crashed with personal financial misfortunes.[10]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Hollywood FL

Picking the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hollywood FL.