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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lairdsville 17742

Lairdsville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Lairdsville PA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients 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 get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Lairdsville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Lairdsville PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Lairdsville PA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Lairdsville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Lairdsville PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often incorporate 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered 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 mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lairdsville PA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lairdsville PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Lairdsville PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 select an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’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 Lairdsville PA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lairdsville PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Lairdsville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Lairdsville medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Lairdsville PA residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lairdsville PA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lairdsville Pennsylvania?

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

Pennsylvania Route 118

Pennsylvania Route 118 (PA 118) is a 42.248-mile-long (67.992 km) state route located in northeastern Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at PA 405 in Hughesville. The eastern terminus is at PA 415 in Dallas. The road is known briefly as East Water Street from its western terminus to its intersection with 6th Street in Hughesville, where it becomes Lairdsville Road for 12 miles (19 km) until crossing PA 42 near Unityville. It joins PA 487 for one mile (1.6 km) in Red Rock, where it passes through the southern part of Ricketts Glen State Park. In 1928, the road between Hughesville and Unityville was designated as part of PA 642 while the portion between Red Rock and Lehman was designated as a portion of PA 115. PA 642 was extended from PA 42 in Unityville to PA 539 in the 1940s. During the 1950s, PA 115 was rerouted from Red Rock to head west and replace PA 642 to Hughesville. PA 115 was also realigned to run between Lehman and Dallas. In 1961, PA 118 replaced the portion of PA 115 between Hughesville and Dallas.

Route 118 begins at an intersection with PA 405 (Main Street) in the center of Hughesville in Lycoming County. The route progresses southeastward through the borough as East Water Street. The local street crosses a long stretch of commercial businesses before reaching North Fifth Street, where it turns to the east and crosses over Muncy Creek. After crossing the river, PA 118 changes names to Lairdville Road and the surroundings become residential. The route there turns to the southeast once again, paralleling a long distance with Gregg Run Road. The surroundings quickly change to farmland, and PA 118 continues east through woodlands that begins soon after. At the intersection with Old Lairdsville Road, the route turns to the northeast until a short clearing, where the highway intersects with L Harman Road. At that intersection, the route turns to the southeast once again.[3]

Heading through now Moreland Township, the woodlands soon give way in favor of open fields, where the route intersects with Neuhard and Stan Warn Roads. There, PA 118 turns even further to the southeast and makes a large bend to the northeast later on, where the highway enters the hamlet of Frenchtown. The highway leaves the rural hamlet to the northeast, paralleling Old Lairdsville Road, which soon merges back in. The highway continues, leaving the fields for more woodlands, paralleling an old alignment of PA 118. A short distance after the old alignment stops paralleling, PA 118 breaks free of the woodlands in favor of the village of Lairdsville. Through Lairdsville, the highway passes a long stretch of residential homes and intersects with Dark Hollow Road. At Dark Hollow Road, PA 118 leaves Lairdsville and enters the rural segments of Franklin Township.[3]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Lairdsville PA

Selecting the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lairdsville PA.