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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Program near Lewisville 27023

Lewisville NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Lewisville NC is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Lewisville NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Lewisville NC hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce 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:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Lewisville NC health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise 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 thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite 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

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

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lewisville NC Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many 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 incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lewisville NC home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Lewisville NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to make certain that you choose the school 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 programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, 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 may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Lewisville NC physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lewisville NC area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Lewisville NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Lewisville health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Lewisville NC residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online 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 decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lewisville NC area, confirm 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 enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lewisville North Carolina?

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

Pfafftown, North Carolina

Pfafftown (pronounced "Poff-town"),[1]North Carolina is an Unincorporated community which has been partially annexed into the cities of Winston-Salem in Forsyth County and Lewisville, also in Forsyth County. As of the 2000 census, the ZCTA of Pfafftown had a population of 9,562. It is a Piedmont Triad community.

Pfafftown's Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) has a population of about 9,562 as of the 2000 census. The population is about 49% male and 51% female. About 89.6% of the population is white, 8% African-American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.6% Asian, 1.5% Hispanic, and 0.8% of another race. 0.9% of people are two or more races. There are no native Hawaiians or other Pacific islanders.

Major roads in Pfafftown include Yadkinville Road, connecting Reynolda Road (NC 67) in Winston-Salem to Old US-421 and eventually to Yadkinville, NC. Other major roads include NC 67, connecting NC 150 in Winston-Salem, NC to US 21 in Jonesville, NC; Transou Road, connecting NC 67 to Yadkinville Road; Skylark Road, connecting Transou Road to Vienna-Dozier Road; Lewisville-Vienna Road, connecting Yadkinville Road to Shallowford Road in Lewisville, NC.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist School near Lewisville NC

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve 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 choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lewisville NC.