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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Training Program near Omaha 68101

Omaha NE physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Omaha NE is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Omaha NE physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Omaha NE private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. 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 patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Omaha NE health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Omaha NE physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Omaha NE area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually 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 also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning 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 essential component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some 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 available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Omaha NE Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many 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 in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Omaha NE home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Omaha NE area and across Nebraska, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Omaha NE physical therapy clinics or other medical care 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 Nebraska Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Omaha NE area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have relationships with Omaha NE clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Omaha medical 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 class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Omaha NE home. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Omaha NE area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Omaha Nebraska?

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

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha (/ˈoʊməhɑː/ OH-mə-hah) is the largest city in the state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County.[6] Omaha is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 10 miles (15 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, which includes Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. According to the 2010 census, Omaha's population was 408,958, having increased to 466,893 as of the 2017 estimate. This makes Omaha the nation's 40th-largest city. Including its suburbs, Omaha formed the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2013, with an estimated population of 895,151 residing in eight counties. The Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, Nebraska-IA Combined Statistical Area is 931,667, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 estimate.[7] Nearly 1.3 million people reside within the Greater Omaha area, comprising a 50 miles (80 kilometers) radius of Downtown Omaha, the city's center.

Omaha's pioneer period began in 1854, when the city was founded by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned the city its nickname, the "Gateway to the West". Omaha introduced this new West to the world in 1898, when it played host to the World's Fair, dubbed the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. During the 19th century, Omaha's central location in the United States spurred the city to become an important national transportation hub. Throughout the rest of the 19th century, the transportation and jobbing sectors were important in the city, along with its railroads and breweries. In the 20th century, the Omaha Stockyards, once the world's largest, and its meatpacking plants gained international prominence.

Today, Omaha is the home to the headquarters of four Fortune 500 companies: mega-conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway; one of the world's largest construction companies, Kiewit Corporation; insurance and financial firm Mutual of Omaha; and the United States' largest railroad operator, Union Pacific Corporation.[8] Berkshire Hathaway is headed by local investor Warren Buffett, one of the richest people in the world, according to a decade's worth of Forbes Magazine rankings, some of which have ranked him as high as No. 1.[9] Omaha is also the home to five Fortune 1000 headquarters: Green Plains Renewable Energy, TD Ameritrade, Valmont Industries, Werner Enterprises, and West Corporation. Also headquartered in Omaha are First National Bank of Omaha, the largest privately held bank in the United States; three of the nation's largest 10 architecture/engineering firms: DLR Group, HDR, Inc., and Leo A Daly;[10] the Gallup Organization, of Gallup Poll fame; and its riverfront Gallup University. Enron began in Omaha as Northern Natural Gas in 1930, before taking over a smaller Houston company in 1985 to form InterNorth, which Kenneth Lay moved permanently to Houston, in 1987. First Data, another Fortune 500 company, was founded in Omaha in 1971 and headquartered there until the late 90's. ConAgra Brands, yet another Fortune 500 company, was headquartered in Omaha until 2014. Both First Data and ConAgra Brands still have a significant presence in Omaha.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Omaha NE

Choosing the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Omaha NE.