Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Amory MS

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Amory 38821

Amory MS physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Amory MS is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Amory MS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Amory MS hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Amory MS health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering 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 long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Amory MS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Amory MS area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may 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 degrees are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates 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 becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Amory MS While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Amory MS residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Amory MS area and across Mississippi, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 choose an online program, it can also receive 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. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’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 organizations for their reviews also. Call some Amory MS physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Mississippi Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Amory MS area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Mississippi or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with Amory MS hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Amory health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Amory MS home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. 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 be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Amory MS area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Amory Mississippi?

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

Amory, Mississippi

Amory began as a planned railroad town. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a midpoint between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their locomotives, and they laid out the new town of Amory in 1887. People from nearby Cotton Gin Port on the Tombigbee River abandoned their town and moved to Amory.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 7,316 people residing in the city. 69.5% were White, 29.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.3% from some other race and 0.7% of two or more races. 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,956 people, 2,876 households, and 1,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 927.2 people per square mile (358.1/km2). There were 3,147 housing units at an average density of 419.5 per square mile (162.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 69.85% White, 29.18% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Amory MS

Picking the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Amory MS.