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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Bellevue 44811

Bellevue OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Bellevue OH is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Bellevue OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Bellevue OH hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Bellevue OH health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Bellevue OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Bellevue OH 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 obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bellevue OH Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bellevue OH home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Bellevue OH area and throughout Ohio, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 choose an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Bellevue OH physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Ohio Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bellevue OH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Ohio or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Bellevue OH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Bellevue healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Bellevue OH home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bellevue OH area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bellevue Ohio?

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

Bellevue, Ohio

Bellevue (/ˈbɛlvjuː/)[6] is a city in Erie, Huron and Sandusky counties[7] in the U.S. state of Ohio, located 61 miles southwest of Cleveland and 45 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 8,202 at the 2010 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Bellevue as a Tree City USA.

The Sandusky County portion of Bellevue is part of the Fremont Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the Huron County portion is part of the Norwalk Micropolitan Statistical Area. The small portion of the city that extends into Erie county is part of the Sandusky Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Bellevue was the home of Henry Morrison Flagler when he partnered up with John D. Rockefeller to start Standard Oil. Flagler later went on to build the Florida Overseas Railroad, to Key West, Florida. The property of his former Bellevue residence on Southwest Street is the current location of the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy School near Bellevue OH

Picking the best physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach 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 field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Bellevue OH.