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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Puxico 63960

Puxico MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Puxico MO is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Puxico MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Puxico MO hospitals, health clinics, 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Puxico MO medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under 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 quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Puxico MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Puxico MO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding 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 Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Puxico MO While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Puxico MO residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Puxico MO area and across Missouri, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Puxico MO physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Puxico MO area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Missouri or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Puxico MO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only 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 a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Puxico health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Puxico MO residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Puxico MO area, verify 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 have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Puxico Missouri?

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

Puxico, Missouri

Puxico was first settled in 1883, and named after Pucksicah, an Indian chief. Early settlers include W. C. Clark, E.L Hawks, George Eaton and J.A Hickman.[6] A post office called Puxico has been in operation since 1884.[7] Puxico was incorporated as a town in 1884.[8]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 881 people, 364 households, and 227 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,314.9 inhabitants per square mile (507.7/km2). There were 429 housing units at an average density of 640.3 per square mile (247.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.0% White, 0.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 364 households of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.01.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Puxico MO

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you must 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 accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to 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 selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Puxico MO.