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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Greenup 41144

Greenup KY physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Greenup KY is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. 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 relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to 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?

Greenup KY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Greenup KY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. 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 struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Greenup KY 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 take note of for anyone thinking about entering 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 long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Greenup KY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Greenup KY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most 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 if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Greenup KY Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure 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 in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Greenup KY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Greenup KY area and across Kentucky, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Greenup KY physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Kentucky Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, 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 Greenup KY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both excellent 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 needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Greenup KY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Greenup health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at 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 final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Greenup KY residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Greenup KY area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn 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 Greenup Kentucky?

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

Greenup, Kentucky

Greenup is a home rule-class city[2] located at the confluence of the Little Sandy River with the Ohio River in Greenup County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 1,188 at the 2010 census.[3] Greenup is one of three county seats in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to share its name with its county; the other two being Harlan and Henderson.[4]

Greenup was laid out in 1803 and 1804 by Robert Johnson, a pioneer and legislator who owned the land. Upon the formation of Greenup County (named for the former congressman Christopher Greenup, who later served as governor) out of land separated from Mason County, Johnson's settlement was chosen to be the seat of government and adopted the name "Greenupsburg". Its post office was erected on July 1, 1811.[6] The state assembly formally established the town on February 4, 1818, and incorporated the city thirty years later on February 29, 1848. The name was shortened to "Greenup" on March 13, 1872, partially to avoid confusion with Greensburg.[7]

The Ohio River flood of 1937 brought devastation to Greenup and many other towns along the river.[8] Some people left the area permanently, with the population of Greenup showing a decline of 5.5% in the 1940 census.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Greenup KY

Choosing the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Greenup KY.