Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Holden MO

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Holden 64040

Holden MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Holden MO is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to 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 the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Holden MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Holden MO private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Holden MO health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Holden MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Holden MO area:

Associate Degrees educate 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 programs are usually provided by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 USA. Some licensed 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 implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Holden MO While not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, 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 necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Holden MO home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Holden MO area and throughout Missouri, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make 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 schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Holden MO physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Holden MO area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Missouri or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Holden MO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Holden health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Holden MO home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Holden MO area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check 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 due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Holden Missouri?

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

Holden, Missouri

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,252 people, 901 households, and 589 families residing in the city. The population density was 934.4 inhabitants per square mile (360.8/km2). There were 1,060 housing units at an average density of 439.8 per square mile (169.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.6% White, 1.4% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 901 households of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Holden MO

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Holden MO.