Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Palm Bay FL

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Palm Bay 32905

Palm Bay FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Palm Bay FL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated 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 acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Palm Bay FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Palm Bay FL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Palm Bay FL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Palm Bay FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Palm Bay FL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often incorporate 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 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 the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Palm Bay FL While not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined 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 segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Palm Bay FL home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Palm Bay FL area and across Florida, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting 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 organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Palm Bay FL physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Palm Bay FL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Florida or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Palm Bay FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Palm Bay medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Palm Bay FL home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Palm Bay FL area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option 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 as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Palm Bay Florida?

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

Palm Bay, Florida

Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The city's population was 103,190 at the 2010 United States Census,[3] making it the most populous city in the county. Palm Bay is a principal city[7] of the Palm Bay−Melbourne−Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 543,376 at the 2010 census.[3]

The earliest place names for this area on early maps of the late 1700s were Turkey Creek, Elbow Creek and Crane Creek. An 1870 map of the Indian River by John Andrew Bostrom shows the area void of any settlements within about 15 miles of Turkey Creek. The first prominent settler was John Tillman in the late 1870s. Tillman's wharf marked the mouth of Turkey Creek. By the late 1880s, Tillman was operating a profitable orange and banana grove on the north shore of the creek. He had the most notable banana grove on the Indian River. Tillman's wharf attracted settlers as it was a steamboat stop.Tillman was formally changed to Palm Bay in the 1920s when the community applied for a charter as the city of Palm Bay.[8]

By the mid-nineteenth century, there was a lumber operation,[clarification needed] packing house, and orange groves. Growth was slow until the arrival of the railroad in 1894. Then goods were brought in and produce was shipped to market faster.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Palm Bay FL

Picking the right physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Palm Bay FL.