Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Rayne LA

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Rayne 70578

Rayne LA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Rayne LA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Rayne LA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Rayne LA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Rayne LA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Rayne LA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Rayne LA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rayne LA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Rayne LA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Rayne LA area and across Louisiana, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Rayne LA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Louisiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Rayne LA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Louisiana or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Rayne LA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Rayne healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering 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 decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Rayne LA residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern 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 even 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 normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Rayne LA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rayne Louisiana?

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

Rayne, Louisiana

Rayne is a city in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 7,953 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 8,552 in 2000. It is nicknamed the "Frog Capital of the World", as well as the "Louisiana City of Murals".

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 8,552 people, 3,183 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,476.1 people per square mile (957.1/km²). There were 3,480 housing units at an average density of 1,007.6 per square mile (389.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.55% White, 33.52% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.81% of the population.

There were 3,183 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.22.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Rayne LA

Selecting the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to 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 variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Rayne LA.