Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Pecos NM

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist School near Pecos 87552

Pecos NM physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Pecos NM is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Pecos NM physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Pecos NM private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Pecos NM medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Pecos NM physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Pecos NM area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor 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 USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pecos NM While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pecos NM home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Pecos NM area and across New Mexico, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, 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 program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Pecos NM physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the New Mexico Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pecos NM area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for New Mexico or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have partnerships with Pecos NM hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Pecos medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Pecos NM home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Pecos NM area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pecos New Mexico?

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

Pecos River

The Pecos River is a river that originates in eastern New Mexico and flows into Texas, emptying into the Rio Grande. Its headwaters are on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County north of Pecos, NM, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet (3,700 m) feet.[4] The river flows for 926 miles (1,490 km) before reaching the Rio Grande near Del Rio. Its drainage basin encompasses about 44,300 square miles (115,000 km2).[2]

The river played a large role in the exploration of Texas by the Spanish. In the latter half of the 19th century, "West of the Pecos" was a reference to the rugged desolation of the Wild West. The Texas storekeeper, bartender, and justice of the peace, Roy Bean, a native of Kentucky, was often described as "The Only Law West of the Pecos", a phrase made popular from the 1956 syndicated television series, Judge Roy Bean, with Edgar Buchanan in the starring role. In the series narration, "West of the Pecos" is described as:

New Mexico and Texas disputed water rights to the river until the U.S. government settled the dispute in 1949 with the Pecos River Compact.[7] The Pecos River Settlement Agreement was signed between New Mexico and Texas in 2003.[8]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Pecos NM

Choosing the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Pecos NM.