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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Lewistown 43333

Lewistown OH physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Lewistown OH is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Lewistown OH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Lewistown OH private practices, hospitals, 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 touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Lewistown OH health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Lewistown OH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Lewistown OH area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as 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 programs are most often offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to move up 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 most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lewistown OH Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lewistown OH home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring 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.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Lewistown OH area and throughout Ohio, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting 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 organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Lewistown OH physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It may also be prudent 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 Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lewistown OH area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Ohio 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 school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have associations with Lewistown OH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Lewistown medical 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 rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Lewistown OH home. Those who have opted to attend classes online 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 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Lewistown OH area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lewistown Ohio?

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

Lewistown, Ohio

Lewistown (also Lewis Town or Lewiston)[1] is a census-designated place in central Washington Township, Logan County, Ohio, United States.[2] Until the 1829 Treaty of Lewistown, the community was the site of a Shawnee settlement. It is said to have been named in honor of “Captain” John Lewis, a Shawnee leader.[3] Nearby Indian Lake was once known as the Lewistown Reservoir, after this settlement. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 43333.[4] The population of the ZCTA for ZIP code 43333 was 693 at the 2000 census.

The area around Lewistown was populated by several Native American tribes resettled as a result of the Treaty of Fort Meigs. This treaty, signed on September 29, 1817 also provided for the University of Michigan, as well as other grants.

In the 1820s Lewistown was a village primarily inhabited by Seneca and Shawnee people. It was also the eastern point in a reservation for these groups that stretched westward to the headwaters of Loramie Creek.[5]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Lewistown OH

Deciding on the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak to current 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 following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lewistown OH.