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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Owensboro 42301

Owensboro KY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Owensboro KY is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are looking at to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

Owensboro KY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Owensboro KY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share 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 in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Owensboro KY medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Owensboro KY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Owensboro 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 be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Owensboro KY While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some 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 incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Owensboro KY residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Owensboro KY area and throughout Kentucky, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Owensboro KY physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It may 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 schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Owensboro KY area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies 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 therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Owensboro KY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Owensboro healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Owensboro KY residence. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Owensboro KY area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Owensboro Kentucky?

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

Owensboro, Kentucky

Owensboro is a home rule-class city[3] in and the county seat of[4]Daviess County, Kentucky, United States. It is the fourth-largest city in the state by population. Owensboro is located on U.S. Route 60 about 107 miles (172 km) southwest of Louisville, and is the principal city of the Owensboro metropolitan area. The 2015 population was 59,042.[5][not in citation given] The metropolitan population was estimated at 116,506.[6]

Evidence of American Indian settlement in the area dates back 12,000 years. Following a series of failed uprisings with British support, however, the last Shawnee were forced to vacate the area before the end of the 18th century.

The first European descendant to settle in Owensboro was frontiersman William Smeathers or Smothers in 1797, for whom the riverfront park is named. The settlement was originally known as "Yellow Banks" from the color of the land beside the Ohio River. The Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered at what is today's Owensboro prior to departing on their famous travels. In 1817, Yellow Banks was formally established under the name Owensborough, named after Col. Abraham Owen. In 1893, the spelling of the name was shortened to its current Owensboro.[7]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Owensboro KY

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is an important initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding 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 excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach 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 appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Owensboro KY.