Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Indian Springs NV

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Indian Springs 89018

Indian Springs NV physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Indian Springs NV is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Indian Springs NV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Indian Springs NV hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Indian Springs NV medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Indian Springs NV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Indian Springs NV area:

Associate Degrees train 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 phased out and is no longer available 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 current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Indian Springs NV While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work 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 program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Indian Springs NV home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and costs 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 dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, 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 Indian Springs NV area and throughout Nevada, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Indian Springs NV physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Nevada 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 Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Indian Springs NV area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Nevada or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have relationships with Indian Springs NV hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Indian Springs medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Indian Springs NV home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Indian Springs NV area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have 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 Indian Springs Nevada?

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

Indian Springs, Nevada

Indian Springs Auxiliary Airfield also known as Indian Springs Field, was rapidly constructed in Nevada by the United States Army Air Forces the month after the Pearl Harbor attack. Indian Springs was immediately entered into service as a training camp for Army Air Force B-25 air-to-air gunnery training, and as a divert field for Las Vegas Army Airfield.

One year later, Indian Springs was reactivated as Indian Springs Air Force Base by the new United States Air Force, with a new role as a new weapons systems and aircraft research and testing. Among these missions were support for nuclear arms testing at the Nevada Proving Grounds, high-altitude balloon search and retrieval, new gunnery and rocketry systems, and testing of experimental aircraft. For a period of the 1950s and 1960s Indian Springs AFB housed some of the most advanced aircraft and air weapons systems in the world.

In the 1960s Indian Springs AFB was transferred to the Tactical Air Wing and re-designated as Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field. The Indian Springs mission was focused on monitoring of Nellis range, and became the remote training site of the USAF Thunderbirds elite air demonstration squadron. The 1982 "Diamond Crash" caused the deaths of four Thunderbird pilots and hastened their transition from the T-38A Talon to the F-16C Fighting Falcon.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Indian Springs NV

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to 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 college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing 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 proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Indian Springs NV.