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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Training Program near Fogelsville 18051

Fogelsville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Fogelsville PA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Fogelsville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Fogelsville PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Fogelsville PA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Fogelsville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Fogelsville PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four 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 also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some 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 Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fogelsville PA While not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Fogelsville PA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Fogelsville PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Fogelsville PA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Pennsylvania 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 two relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Fogelsville PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Fogelsville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Fogelsville health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Fogelsville PA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Fogelsville PA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fogelsville Pennsylvania?

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

Fogelsville, Pennsylvania

While the village of Fogelsville can be found at ZIP code 18051, immediately surrounding areas to the east and south use the Allentown ZIP code of 18106 or the Breinigsville ZIP code of 18031, respectively. Downtown is located at approximately 40° 34′ 59.45″ N, 75° 37′ 57.37″ W. The 1990 census reported a population of 900, although a more recent estimate places the population at about 3200.

Fogelsville was once the terminus of the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad (later extended to Rittenhouse Gap) and the site of extensive iron ore mining to supply the iron furnaces of the Lehigh Valley.

Fogelsville is the location of Minority Health Care Communications, Inc, founded in 2002. MHCC Inc. is the steward organization of The National Conference on African-Americans and AIDS, National Conference on Latinos and AIDS, and The National Conference on African-Americans and Cancer.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Fogelsville PA

Picking the best physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to begin 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 outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Fogelsville PA.