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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Maple 27956

Maple NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Maple NC is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Maple NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Maple NC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Maple NC health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of 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 long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Maple NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only 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 progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Maple NC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare 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 important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Maple NC Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Maple NC residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Maple NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Maple NC physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Maple NC area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum 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 program. 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 Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have relationships with Maple NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Maple health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average 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 determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Maple NC home. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern 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 decide 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what type of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Maple NC area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Maple North Carolina?

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

Maple, North Carolina

Maple is an unincorporated community in Crawford Township, Currituck County, North Carolina, United States at the intersection of NC Highway 168 and SR 1246 (Maple Road). Maple is located at latitude 36.4148780 North, and longitude -76.0040925 West. The elevation is 3 feet. Maple appears on the Currituck U.S. Geological Survey Map.[1]

The community of Maple is bounded on the east by Coinjock Bay, a tributary of Currituck Sound; on the west by the Great Swamp; on the south by the unincorporated community of Barco, NC and on the north by the unincorporated community of Currituck, NC [3]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Maple NC

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize 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 appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Maple NC.