Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Scammon KS

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Scammon 66773

Scammon KS physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapy degree near Scammon KS is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, 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 evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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?

Scammon KS physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Scammon KS private practices, hospitals, 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Scammon KS health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Scammon KS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Scammon KS area:

  • Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Scammon KSAlthough not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Scammon KS home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar 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 advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, 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 considering there are so many PT schools within the Scammon KS area and across Kansas, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Scammon KS physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Kansas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Scammon KS area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Scammon KS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to get hands on 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 relationships in the Scammon medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Scammon KS home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Scammon KS area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Scammon Kansas?

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

Scammon, Kansas

Scammon was laid out in 1884.[7] It was named for the four Scammon brothers, who operated the first mine there.[8]David Mackie (1836–1910) was a founder and builder of Scammon, and the first President of the Scammon State Bank.[9] The community was known as Stilson when it was first settled. The town was known as Scammonville for a short time before adopting the current name.[10]

Scammon is located at 37°16′42″N 94°49′16″W / 37.27833°N 94.82111°W / 37.27833; -94.82111 (37.278240, -94.820984).[13] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.64 square miles (1.66 km2), all of it land.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 482 people, 192 households, and 128 families residing in the city. The population density was 753.1 inhabitants per square mile (290.8/km2). There were 219 housing units at an average density of 342.2 per square mile (132.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White, 0.8% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Scammon KS

Choosing the best physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Scammon KS.

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