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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Walton 41094

Walton KY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Walton KY is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college just 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 evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Walton KY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Walton KY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Walton KY medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Walton KY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Walton KY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as 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 be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed 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 complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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 offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases 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 Walton KY Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Walton KY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, such as 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 numerous PT schools within the Walton KY area and throughout Kentucky, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Walton KY physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Kentucky Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate 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 support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Walton KY area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Walton KY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Walton medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing 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 final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Walton KY home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Walton KY area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Walton Kentucky?

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

Walton, Kentucky

Walton is located in southeastern Boone County and extends slightly into southwestern Kenton County. U.S. Route 25 (Main Street) runs through the center of the city, and Interstates 75 and 71 diverge just west of the city limits. Access to the city from I-75 is via exit 171 (Kentucky Routes 14 and 16). Downtown Cincinnati is 21 miles (34 km) to the north, Lexington is 64 miles (103 km) south via I-75, and Louisville is 82 miles (132 km) to the southwest via I-71.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 2,450 people, 913 households, and 665 families residing in the city. The population density was 701.4 people per square mile (271.0/km²). There were 992 housing units at an average density of 284.0 per square mile (109.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.35% White, 0.94% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.04% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 913 households out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.15.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Walton KY

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish 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 best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Walton KY.