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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Valrico 33594

Valrico FL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Valrico FL is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. 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?

Valrico FL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Valrico FL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Valrico FL medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Valrico FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Valrico FL area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify 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 usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated 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 present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Valrico FL Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Valrico FL residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Valrico FL area and across Florida, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online program, it may also obtain 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. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Valrico FL physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate 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 hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Valrico 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 outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have partnerships with Valrico FL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Valrico medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Valrico FL residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Valrico FL area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Valrico Florida?

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

Valrico, Florida

Before the Civil War, the area was known as "Long Pond" and consisted of several cotton plantations. It was renamed "Valrico", meaning "rich valley" in Spanish, in the 1880s when William G. Tousey, a philosophy professor from Tufts College, purchased property in the area. In 1890, an influx of immigrants arrived, following the construction of the Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad through the area.

When the railroad was completed, Tousey began building up the community with retail stores, streets, and a bank. In 1895, a major freeze halted these developments, and the population began to dwindle. Nonetheless, the town continued to press on, with a schoolhouse being completed in 1896. The population continued to fall drastically, from 100 people in 1893 to only 50 in 1911.

This setback did not deter local landowners from pushing forward with the town's development. Between 1910-1914 Judge Hamner, Governor Van Sant, D. Humbird, W.H., S.C. Phipps and W.F. Miller started an improvement project along Hopewell Road, later designated SR 60. W.F. Miller, serving as president of the Valrico Improvement Association, raised $3,500 to erect the Valrico Civic Center, now known as the James McCabe Theatre. The area's first general store was opened by Lovett Brandon in 1912.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Valrico FL

Choosing the best physical therapy college is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Valrico FL.