Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bedford KY

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Bedford 40006

Bedford KY physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Bedford KY is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Bedford KY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Bedford KY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Bedford KY medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Bedford KY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Bedford KY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 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 developed as pre-physical therapist education 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 integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 eliminated 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 prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bedford KY While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bedford KY home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. 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 dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the kind 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 Bedford KY area and throughout Kentucky, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Bedford KY physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Kentucky 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 two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Bedford KY area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college 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 enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Kentucky or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have relationships with Bedford KY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Bedford medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average 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 determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Bedford KY home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bedford KY area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bedford Kentucky?

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

Bedford, Kentucky

It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 42 and 421. It was named for Bedford, Virginia, former home of the first settler, Richard Bell, who built a house near what he called Bedford Spring in 1805.[citation needed] The town was founded in 1816 and first incorporated in 1850. Following its loss of city status, it was reïncorporated in 1946.[3]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 677 people, 282 households, and 183 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,690.3 people per square mile (653.5/km²). There were 297 housing units at an average density of 741.5 per square mile (286.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.93% White, 0.15% African American, 1.77% from other races, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 282 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 20.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Bedford KY

Selecting the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Bedford KY.