How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Concordia 66901

Receiving a physical therapist degree near Concordia KS is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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?

Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Concordia KS hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often 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 eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Strokes.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Concordia KS health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Concordia KS area:

• Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 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 overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Concordia KS home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like 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 because there are so many PT schools within the Concordia KS area and throughout Kansas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, 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 may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Concordia KS physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Kansas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Concordia KS area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Kansas or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as 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 supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Concordia KS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Concordia health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Concordia KS home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Concordia KS area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative 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 as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Concordia Kansas?

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

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Concordia KS

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Concordia KS.

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