Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Greensboro GA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Greensboro 30642

Greensboro GA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Greensboro GA is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Greensboro GA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Greensboro GA 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Greensboro GA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Greensboro GA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Greensboro GA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Greensboro GA While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Greensboro GA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Greensboro GA area and throughout Georgia, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree 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 earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 also. Get in touch with a few Greensboro GA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Georgia Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Greensboro GA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Georgia or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Greensboro GA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Greensboro medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Greensboro GA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Greensboro GA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Greensboro Georgia?

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

Greensboro, Georgia

Greensboro is located at the center of Greene County at 33°34′18″N 83°10′51″W / 33.57167°N 83.18083°W / 33.57167; -83.18083 (33.571528, -83.180921).[6]U.S. Route 278 passes through the city center as Broad Street, leading east 7 miles (11 km) to Union Point and west 19 miles (31 km) to Madison. Georgia State Route 44 leads southwest from Greensboro 22 miles (35 km) to Eatonton. State Route 15 leads north 34 miles (55 km) to Athens and southeast 27 miles (43 km) to Sparta. The city limits extend southwest along SR 44 for 4 miles (6 km) so as to include Exit 130 on Interstate 20. I-20 leads east 70 miles (110 km) to Augusta and west 73 miles (117 km) to Atlanta.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Greensboro has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.6 km2), of which 6.7 square miles (17.4 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.99%, is water.[4] The city is in the Oconee River watershed and is located 5 miles (8 km) east of Lake Oconee and 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Oconee National Forest.

As of the census[2] of the year 2000, there were 3,238 people, 1,184 households, and 806 families residing in this town. The population density was 556.5 people per square mile (214.8/km²). There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 217.2 per square mile (83.9/km²). The racial makeup of this town was 33.45% White, 62.01% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 2.66% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.34% of the population.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Greensboro GA

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Greensboro GA.