Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Spring Lake NC

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Spring Lake 28390

Spring Lake NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Spring Lake NC is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive 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 comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Spring Lake NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Spring Lake NC private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Spring Lake NC health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

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

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require two 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 therapist education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often 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 the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, 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 available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Spring Lake NC Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college 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 Spring Lake NC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Spring Lake NC area and across North Carolina, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program 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 doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Spring Lake NC physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest 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 placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Spring Lake NC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for North Carolina or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Spring Lake NC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Spring Lake healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Spring Lake NC home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally 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 usually 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 Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Spring Lake NC area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Spring Lake North Carolina?

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

Spring Lake, North Carolina

The current name of the town first appeared around 1923 when Arthur Priddy opened the Spring Lake service station in relation to the lake (Spring Lake Pond) that ran beside the rail line. Previously, the area was called "Clayton Cut", due to the pathway cut that ran through the area where the railroad later resided, and also "Prince's Siding", after a man named Prince who owned a sawmill on this land.

Spring Lake is located in northwestern Cumberland County at 35°10′39″N 78°58′32″W / 35.17750°N 78.97556°W / 35.17750; -78.97556 (35.177593, -78.975501).[9] It is bordered to the south by the city of Fayetteville, the Cumberland County seat, to the west by Hoke and Moore counties, and to the north by Harnett County. Large portions of the town limits are occupied by Pope Field and parts of Fort Bragg.

North Carolina Highways 87 and 24 run concurrently through the town, leading south 11 miles (18 km) to downtown Fayetteville. NC 87 leads north 26 miles (42 km) to Sanford, while NC 24 runs northwest 31 miles (50 km) to Carthage. North Carolina Highway 210 leads northeast 18 miles (29 km) to Lillington and southeast as Murchison Road 10 miles (16 km) to downtown Fayetteville.

Select the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Spring Lake NC

Selecting the right physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve 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 best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Spring Lake NC.