Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Carolina Beach NC

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Carolina Beach 28428

Carolina Beach NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Carolina Beach NC is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college 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 along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Carolina Beach NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Carolina Beach NC 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 stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Carolina Beach NC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Carolina Beach NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing 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 Carolina Beach NC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified 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 finish and commonly incorporate 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 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 complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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. Some licensed 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 instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Carolina Beach NC Although not as prevalent 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 structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Carolina Beach NC home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Carolina Beach NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Carolina Beach NC physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of 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 Carolina Beach NC area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Carolina Beach NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Carolina Beach medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Carolina Beach NC home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes 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 bear 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Carolina Beach NC area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Carolina Beach North Carolina?

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

Carolina Beach, North Carolina

Carolina Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,052 at the 2000 census and 5,706 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Wilmington metropolitan area. The community of Wilmington Beach was annexed by the town in 2000.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2).2.2 square miles (5.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (8.13%) is water.

As of the census[2] of 2013, there were 2,296 households, and 1,253 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,086.4 people per square mile (806.7/km²). There were 4,086 housing units at an average density of 1,813.5 per square mile (701.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.94% White, 0.39% African American,0.50% Asian, and 0.17% from other races.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Carolina Beach NC

Picking the right physical therapy college is an important first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish 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 field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Carolina Beach NC.