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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Training Program near Gilbertsville 19525

Gilbertsville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Gilbertsville PA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Gilbertsville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Gilbertsville 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Gilbertsville PA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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 Therapist Degrees

Gilbertsville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Gilbertsville PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education 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 important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Gilbertsville PA While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more 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 necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Gilbertsville PA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Gilbertsville PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received 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 select an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple 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 check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Gilbertsville PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school options. 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Gilbertsville PA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Gilbertsville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Gilbertsville medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Gilbertsville PA residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can offer 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 Gilbertsville PA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gilbertsville Pennsylvania?

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

Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Gilbertsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in northwest Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Douglass Township at the junction of Routes 73 and 100. The population was 4,832 at the 2010 census, and the ZIP code is 19525. The name is also applied to an indeterminate adjacent section of New Hanover Township served by the Gilbertsville Post Office, and in fact the New Hanover Township offices are located in an area considered to be part of Gilbertsville.[1] Boyertown School District covers the town of Gilbertsville. Gilbertsville is considered a rural area Northwest of Philadelphia.

Gilbertsville began when the descendants of William Gilbert, an English astronomer, physician, and physicist, decided to permanently move to America. Although many of the Gilberts fought for America in the Revolutionary War, Abijah Gilbert did not relocate his family until 1790. In the fall of 1789, 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land were purchased for the modern-day price of $2000. It was the first land purchased from the Morris Trust in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The Gilberts purchased more land in later years. A Gilbert Family letter recalls that as Abijah Gilbert's son, Joseph Thomas Gilbert, was disembarking in Philadelphia, George Washington patted him on the head and said, "A fine, rosy-cheeked English boy, who will make a good American Citizen."

The name Gilbertsville derived from the large number of Gilbert family, descended from Hans George Gilbert who relocated from Hoffenheim, Germany in 1750. He and his sons Bernhard and Johan George Gilbert are buried in the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Churchyard. The village was originally a part of McCall's Manor.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Gilbertsville PA

Picking the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Gilbertsville PA.