Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Grand Coteau LA

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Grand Coteau 70541

Grand Coteau LA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Grand Coteau LA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Grand Coteau LA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Grand Coteau LA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Grand Coteau LA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Grand Coteau LA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable 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. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Grand Coteau LA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 finish, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Grand Coteau LA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of 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 nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Grand Coteau LA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Grand Coteau LA area and throughout Louisiana, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Grand Coteau LA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Louisiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Grand Coteau LA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Louisiana or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Grand Coteau LA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Grand Coteau health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical 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 talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Grand Coteau LA residence. Those who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of 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 aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Grand Coteau LA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Grand Coteau Louisiana?

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

Grand Coteau, Louisiana

Grand Coteau is a town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,040 at the 2000 census. Grand Coteau is on Interstate 49 south of Opelousas and is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area. The town is a center for local farming. As of 2013[update], the mayor is Virginia Pierre.

The first known land grant by the colonial Louisiana government was in 1776 in the area referred to as Buzzard Prairie.[3] In the early 19th century, Buzzard Prairie served as a stopping point for travelers between Washington, Louisiana, and St. Martinville, Louisiana. The thriving community had two bakeries, a cobbler, a millinery, a blacksmith shop, a post office, six bars, and nine brothels.

In 1821, Mrs. Charles Smith, widow of a wealthy planter in Opelousas, donated land, a two-story building, and funds to pay for the travel expenses of two nuns from St. Charles, Missouri. The two nuns of the Religious of the Sacred Heart founded a convent and a school that became the Academy of the Sacred Heart.[4][5]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Grand Coteau LA

Choosing the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Grand Coteau LA.