Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Lake Helen FL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lake Helen 32744

Lake Helen FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Lake Helen FL is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Lake Helen FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Lake Helen FL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Lake Helen FL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Lake Helen FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Lake Helen FL area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly incorporate 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lake Helen FL Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lake Helen FL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Lake Helen FL area and across Florida, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 choose an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check 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 College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Lake Helen FL physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lake Helen FL area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Lake Helen FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Lake Helen healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Lake Helen FL home. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lake Helen FL area, check that they are available. 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 carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lake Helen Florida?

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

Lake Helen, Florida

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.8 km2), of which 4.4 square miles (11.5 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2) (2.82%) is water.[8]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 2,743 people, 1,124 households, and 774 families residing in the city. The population density was 650.1 inhabitants per square mile (251.0/km²). There were 1,204 housing units at an average density of 285.3 per square mile (110.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.02% White, 10.68% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.95% of the population.

There were 1,124 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.91.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist College near Lake Helen FL

Selecting the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school 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 ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Lake Helen FL.