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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Coopersburg 18036

Coopersburg PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Coopersburg PA is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating 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 looking at to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Coopersburg PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Coopersburg PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Coopersburg PA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Coopersburg PA 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 alternatives, the one degree that is available 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 explanations of degree levels that are available in the Coopersburg PA 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 obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Coopersburg PA Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so 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 necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Coopersburg PA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Coopersburg PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 choose an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Coopersburg PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Coopersburg PA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania 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 therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Coopersburg PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Coopersburg medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Coopersburg PA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Coopersburg PA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Coopersburg Pennsylvania?

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

Coopersburg, Pennsylvania

Coopersburg is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a suburb of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is 40 miles north of Philadelphia, 7 miles south of Allentown, and 76 miles west of New York City. Lehigh County is included in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New York City-Newark, New Jersey, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 2,386 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,582 people, 983 households, and 671 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,780.7 people per square mile (1,072.0/km²). There were 1,050 housing units at an average density of 1,130.8 per square mile (435.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.01% White, 0.70% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Coopersburg PA

Picking the best physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Coopersburg PA.