Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Queen City MO

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Queen City 63561

Queen City MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Queen City MO is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Queen City MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Queen City MO private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Queen City MO health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite 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 Therapist Degree Options

Queen City MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, 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 readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Queen City MO area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Queen City MO While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Queen City MO home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want 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 Queen City MO area and across Missouri, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Queen City MO physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Queen City MO area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Missouri or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Queen City MO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Queen City medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. 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 talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Queen City MO home. Those who have opted 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 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 might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Queen City MO area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out 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 Queen City Missouri?

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

Queen City, Missouri

Queen City was laid out in May, 1867 by Doctor George W. Wilson and consisted of a town square surrounded by fifteen other blocks. He chose the name in the hope the town would become "the Queen of the prairies."[6] Dr. Wilson also constructed the first home in the new town, while Henry Bartlett is responsible for building the towns's first hotel. By 1888 Queen City offered a considerable business district—five general stores, two grocers, two hardware stores, two hotels, jewelry store, lumber yard, photography gallery, music store, and barber shop were just some of the businesses serving the community and surrounding farms. Being located along the railroad, it provided a fine shipping point for large numbers of railroad ties and other lumber products harvested from heavily wooded areas along the Chariton River several miles to the west. Grain, livestock and some quantities of wool were also shipped by rail from the town. Queen City's first newspaper The Transcript was established in November, 1887 by D.G. Swan.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 598 people, 256 households, and 143 families residing in the city. The population density was 580.6 inhabitants per square mile (224.2/km2). There were 311 housing units at an average density of 301.9 per square mile (116.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 99.0% White, 0.5% Native American, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 256 households of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.1% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.86.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Queen City MO

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Queen City MO.