How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Auburn 68305

Getting a physical therapy degree near Auburn NE is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Auburn NE private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Osteoporosis and Arthritis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Sports injuries.
• Fire injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Auburn NE health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Auburn NE area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

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 practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Auburn NE home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Auburn NE area and throughout Nebraska, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Auburn NE physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Nebraska Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Auburn NE area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Nebraska or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Auburn NE hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Auburn medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer 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 typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Auburn NE home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Auburn NE area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Auburn Nebraska?

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

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Auburn NE

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different campuses to see 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Auburn NE.

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