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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lumberton 28358

Lumberton NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Lumberton NC is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Lumberton NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Lumberton NC private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Lumberton NC medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Lumberton NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate 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 prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Lumberton NC area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want 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 three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lumberton NC Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lumberton NC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Lumberton NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to make 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 must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online school, it can also obtain 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. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Lumberton NC physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It may 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lumberton NC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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 college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have associations with Lumberton NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Lumberton health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher 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 talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Lumberton NC home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Lumberton NC area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need 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 obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lumberton North Carolina?

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

Lumberton, North Carolina

Lumberton is a city in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population has grown to 21,542 in the 2010 census from 20,795 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robeson County, the largest county by land area in the state.[4] Lumberton, located in southern North Carolina's Inner Banks region, is located on the Lumber River. Founded in 1787 by John Willis, an officer in the American Revolution, Lumberton was originally a shipping point for lumber used by the Navy, which was sent downriver to Georgetown, South Carolina. Most of the town's growth, however, began shortly after World War II.

Robeson County is located in the Coastal Plains region of southeastern North Carolina. The county was created from Bladen County in 1786 by two American Revolutionary War heroes and residents of the area, General John Willis and Colonel Thomas Robeson. The county was named after Colonel Robeson and the land for the county seat was donated by General Willis, who is also credited with naming the county seat Lumberton.

The area was a frontier destination for both white and numerous free families of color from Virginia in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Many free blacks were descendants of white men and African women, whether slave, free or indentured, from the colonial years when working classes lived and worked near each other.[5] The County has a high proportion of Lumbee, who have been recognized as a Native American tribe by the state of North Carolina but have not been able to receive federal recognition as an Indian tribe by the US Federal government or the B.I.A.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Lumberton NC

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Lumberton NC.