Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Jacksonville NC

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Jacksonville 28540

Jacksonville NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Jacksonville NC is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Jacksonville NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Jacksonville NC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try 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.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Jacksonville NC medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Jacksonville NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Jacksonville NC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jacksonville NC Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jacksonville NC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar 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 may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Jacksonville NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online program, it may 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 just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Jacksonville NC physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school options. It may 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 couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left 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 assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Jacksonville NC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Jacksonville NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain practical experience 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 form professional relationships in the Jacksonville healthcare community and assist 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 the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Jacksonville NC residence. 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 local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Jacksonville NC area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jacksonville North Carolina?

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

Jacksonville, North Carolina

Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the population stood at 70,145, which makes Jacksonville the 14th largest city in North Carolina.[4] Jacksonville is the principal city of Onslow County and is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina metropolitan area. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Jacksonville as the fifth fastest-growing small city in the United States.[5] Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically going up over the past 80 years, from a mere 783 in the 1930 census to 70,145 in the 2010 census.[6]

It is the county seat of Onslow County,[7] and the home of the United States Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station. Jacksonville is located adjacent to North Carolina's Southern Outer Banks (SOBX) area.

On 21 June 2016, the City of Jacksonville, NC, became the first jurisdiction to adopt a paid holiday honoring the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which made slavery in the United States and its territories illegal. The resolution of adoption targets the prevention of the modern slavery epidemic in the form of human trafficking, which includes forcing children to engage in labor and combat.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Jacksonville NC

Choosing the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start 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 accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Jacksonville NC.