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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Harrodsburg 40330

Harrodsburg KY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Harrodsburg KY is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Harrodsburg KY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Harrodsburg KY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Harrodsburg KY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into 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 long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Harrodsburg KY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, 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 short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Harrodsburg KY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 finish, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Harrodsburg KY Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Harrodsburg KY home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Harrodsburg KY area and across Kentucky, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 college, it may also receive 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 simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Harrodsburg KY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Kentucky Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two 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 indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Harrodsburg KY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Kentucky or the state where you will be working. In every 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 vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have associations with Harrodsburg KY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Harrodsburg healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher 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 a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Harrodsburg KY residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide 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 often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Harrodsburg KY area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Harrodsburg Kentucky?

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

Harrodsburg, Kentucky

Although Harrodsburg was formally established by the House of Burgesses after Boonesborough and was not incorporated by the Kentucky legislature until 1836,[4] it is usually considered the oldest city in Kentucky and has been honored as the oldest permanent American settlement west of the Appalachians.

Harrodstown (sometimes Harrod's Town) was laid out and founded by James Harrod on June 16, 1774.[5] Later that same year, amid Dunmore's War, the settlement was abandoned as a result of Shawnee attacks. Resettled the following year, it was one of three settlements in present day Kentucky at the time the 13 colonies declared independence in 1776, along with Logan's Fort and Boonesborough. Also known as Oldtown, Harrodstown was the first seat of Virginia's Kentucky (1776), Lincoln (1780), and Mercer (1785) counties upon their formations.[6] It remains the seat of Mercer County in Kentucky.

The settlement was formally established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1785 as Harrodsburg.[5] Four years later, it was named the location for the newly created United States District Court for the District of Kentucky by the Judiciary Act of 1789.[7] The Kentucky General Assembly incorporated Harrodsburg in 1836.[4]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Harrodsburg KY

Selecting the best physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Harrodsburg KY.