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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Hartford 42347

Hartford KY physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Hartford KY is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. 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?

Hartford KY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Hartford KY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Hartford KY health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Hartford KY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Hartford KY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often 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 total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hartford KY While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hartford KY residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable 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 benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Hartford KY area and throughout Kentucky, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 select an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact some Hartford KY physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Kentucky Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hartford KY area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Kentucky or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Hartford KY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Hartford medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Hartford KY residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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 colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Hartford KY area, make certain 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, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hartford Kentucky?

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

Hartford, Kentucky

The town was initially part of a 4000-acre grant from Virginia to Gabriel Madison. The area was surveyed in 1782[7] and settled before 1790. Fort Hartford (also known as Hartford Station) grew up around the head of navigation on the Rough River. It initially faced Indian attacks but was named the seat of Ohio County the year after its formation in 1798 in exchange for a grant of land from Mr. Madison. The post office was established as Hartford Court House in 1801[8] and the settlement was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1808.[2]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 2,571 people, 1,079 households, and 684 families residing in the city. The population density was 989.5 people per square mile (381.8/km²). There were 1,165 housing units at an average density of 448.4 per square mile (173.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.81% White, 1.40% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.

There were 1,079 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy School near Hartford KY

Selecting the right physical therapy college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important 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 a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hartford KY.