How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Antlers 74523

Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Antlers OK is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Antlers OK private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Osteoporosis and Arthritis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Strokes.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Antlers OK health 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 considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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 Available

There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Antlers OK area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Antlers OK home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring 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.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Antlers OK area and across Oklahoma, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, 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 school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Antlers OK physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Oklahoma Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, 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 Antlers OK area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Oklahoma or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount 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 Antlers OK hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Antlers health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching 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 converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Antlers OK residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes 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 school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Antlers OK area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Antlers Oklahoma?

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

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Antlers OK

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve 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 options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Antlers OK.

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