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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Pfafftown 27040

Pfafftown NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Pfafftown NC is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Pfafftown NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Pfafftown NC private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Pfafftown NC health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Pfafftown NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Pfafftown NC area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pfafftown NC Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined 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 curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pfafftown NC home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Pfafftown NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, 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 might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting 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 also. Call some Pfafftown NC physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent 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 Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Pfafftown NC area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for North Carolina or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Pfafftown NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Pfafftown healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Pfafftown NC home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pfafftown NC area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pfafftown North Carolina?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Pfafftown 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 Therapy Training Program near Pfafftown NC

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Pfafftown NC.