Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Derby KS

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Derby 67037

Derby KS physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Derby KS is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence 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 discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Derby KS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Derby KS 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Derby KS medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Derby KS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Derby KS area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 or practical training is an important element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Derby KS While not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Derby KS residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Derby KS area and across Kansas, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned 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 enroll in an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Derby KS physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Kansas 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 Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, 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 Derby KS area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Kansas or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with Derby KS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Derby medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Derby KS home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously 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 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Derby KS area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours 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 obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Derby Kansas?

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

Derby, Kansas

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Sedgwick County was established within the state of Kansas, which included the land for modern day Derby.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Derby KS

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Derby KS.