Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Attica OH

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Attica 44807

Attica OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Attica OH is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Attica OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Attica OH private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Attica OH medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Attica OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as 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 brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Attica OH area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and often incorporate 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Attica OH While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Attica OH residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Attica OH area and throughout Ohio, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 college, it can also obtain 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. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Attica OH physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Ohio Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Attica OH area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Ohio 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. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Attica OH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Attica health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Attica OH home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Attica OH area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Attica Ohio?

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

Attica, Ohio

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.67 square miles (1.74 km2), of which 0.66 square miles (1.71 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 899 people, 364 households, and 266 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,362.1 inhabitants per square mile (525.9/km2). There were 428 housing units at an average density of 648.5 per square mile (250.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.3% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 364 households of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.9% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.88.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Attica OH

Choosing the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize 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 ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Attica OH.