Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clinton PA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Clinton 15026

Clinton PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Clinton PA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a school just 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 evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Clinton PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Clinton PA 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 mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Clinton PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Clinton PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Clinton PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 three years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clinton PA While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of 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 college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Clinton PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Clinton PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Clinton PA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Clinton PA area? If a program has a high 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 program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have relationships with Clinton PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Clinton health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Clinton PA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply 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 kind of assistance is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Clinton PA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Clinton Pennsylvania?

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

Clinton County, Pennsylvania

Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,238.[2] Its county seat is Lock Haven.[3] The county was created on June 21, 1839, from parts of Centre and Lycoming Counties. Its name is in honor of the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton, however some sources suggest the namesake is Henry Clinton.[4]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.3% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. 0.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.0% were of German, 15.6% American, 9.6% Irish, 8.6% Italian and 7.4% English ancestry.

There were 14,773 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy College near Clinton PA

Selecting the right physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Clinton PA.