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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Hubbard 44425

Hubbard OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Hubbard OH is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Hubbard OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Hubbard OH private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Hubbard OH medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Hubbard OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Hubbard OH area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hubbard OH While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many 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 integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hubbard OH home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Hubbard OH area and across Ohio, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Hubbard OH physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Ohio Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hubbard OH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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 therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Hubbard OH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Hubbard healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Hubbard OH home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hubbard OH area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hubbard Ohio?

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

Hubbard, Ohio

Hubbard is a city in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from part of Hubbard Township, which was formed from the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 7,874 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.91 square miles (10.13 km2), of which 3.90 square miles (10.10 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 7,874 people, 3,442 households, and 2,185 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,019.0 inhabitants per square mile (779.5/km2). There were 3,701 housing units at an average density of 949.0 per square mile (366.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% White, 1.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist School near Hubbard OH

Choosing the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing 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 selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Hubbard OH.