Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Henderson NE

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Henderson 68371

Henderson NE physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Henderson NE is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Henderson NE physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Henderson NE hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Henderson NE health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

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

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Henderson NE Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Henderson NE residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Henderson NE area and throughout Nebraska, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to make sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Henderson NE physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Nebraska 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 couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Henderson NE area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Nebraska or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Henderson NE hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Henderson health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Henderson NE home. Students 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 importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Henderson NE area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative 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 because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Henderson Nebraska?

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

Henderson, Nebraska

Henderson was platted in 1887 when the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad was extended to that point.[6] It was named for David Henderson, a pioneer settler.[7][8] Henderson was incorporated in 1899.[9]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 991 people, 433 households, and 290 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,769.6 inhabitants per square mile (683.2/km2). There were 481 housing units at an average density of 858.9 per square mile (331.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.2% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 433 households of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 19% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.66.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist College near Henderson NE

Deciding on the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Henderson NE.