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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Freeport 16229

Freeport PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Freeport PA is an important first step to starting 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 need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Freeport PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Freeport PA private practices, hospitals, 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Freeport PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Freeport PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Freeport PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Freeport PA Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Freeport PA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Freeport PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 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, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Freeport PA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Freeport PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports 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 fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Freeport PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Freeport health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Freeport PA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Freeport PA area, verify that they are available. 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 work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Freeport Pennsylvania?

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

Freeport, Pennsylvania

Freeport is a borough in Armstrong County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania; it is situated along the Allegheny River in the southwest corner of the county. The population was 1,813 at the 2010 Census.[3] The first settlement was made at Freeport in the 1760s.[4] Freeport received its name from David Todd, who declared it a free and open port. The borough was incorporated in 1833.[5] Freeport was a port on the former Pennsylvania Canal.[6]

Freeport is located at 40°40′28″N 79°41′11″W / 40.67444°N 79.68639°W / 40.67444; -79.68639 (40.674337, -79.686320).[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), of which 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 2.20%, is water.[3]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 1,962 people, 878 households, and 532 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,697.9 people per square mile (653.0/km²). There were 944 housing units at an average density of 816.9 per square mile (314.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.42% White, 0.25% African American, 0.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Freeport PA

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you must make to launch 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 excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Freeport PA.