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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Swannanoa 28778

Swannanoa NC physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Swannanoa NC is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring 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 the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. 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?

Swannanoa NC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Swannanoa NC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from 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 problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Swannanoa NC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Swannanoa NC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students 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 preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Swannanoa NC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Swannanoa NC While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Swannanoa NC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Swannanoa NC area and throughout North Carolina, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned 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 choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain 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 Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Swannanoa NC physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the North Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Swannanoa NC area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum 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 school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Swannanoa NC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Swannanoa health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Swannanoa NC home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Swannanoa NC area, verify that they are offered. 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 carry. Also, learn 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 Swannanoa North Carolina?

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

Swannanoa, North Carolina

Swannanoa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,576 at the 2010 census.[3] The community is named for the Swannanoa River, which flows through the settlement. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Swannanoa is located in eastern Buncombe County at 35°36′17″N 82°23′17″W / 35.60472°N 82.38806°W / 35.60472; -82.38806 (35.604808, -82.387921),[5] between Asheville and Black Mountain. Interstate 40 passes through the main commercial area of Swannanoa, which is focused around the Ingles supermarket and gas station. The old commercial area sits beside an empty lot where the old Beacon Blankets plant once sat. The Beacon Plant was the center of the Swannanoa community, built by the late Charles D. Owen,Sr,[citation needed] it was closed in 2002, and burned almost to the ground on September 3, 2003. The local high school is Charles D. Owen High School. Brad Johnson was a graduate of Charles D. Owen High School. He went on to play in the National Football League for the Super Bowl XXXVII Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.7 km2), of which 6.4 square miles (16.6 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.53%, is water.[3]

Pick the Right Physical Therapist College near Swannanoa NC

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach 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 options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Swannanoa NC.