Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Lemont Furnace PA

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Program near Lemont Furnace 15456

Lemont Furnace PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Lemont Furnace PA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior 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 important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Lemont Furnace PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Lemont Furnace PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Lemont Furnace PA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Lemont Furnace 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 options, the only degree that is offered to become 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 brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Lemont Furnace PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may 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 usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment 7 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 mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lemont Furnace PA Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, 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 combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lemont Furnace PA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Lemont Furnace PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Lemont Furnace PA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It may 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 schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lemont Furnace PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Lemont Furnace PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Lemont Furnace medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Lemont Furnace PA residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online 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 consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Lemont Furnace PA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lemont Furnace Pennsylvania?

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

Penn State Fayette

Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus is a Commonwealth Campus of the Pennsylvania State University. It is located in Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania, between the larger cities of Uniontown and Connellsville. The campus serves students from the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania covering a five-county area that includes all or parts of Fayette, Greene, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. The campus also enrolls students from other states and maintains a small international student population. Students at Penn State Fayette can complete the first two years of most of majors available in the Penn State system along with the entirety of six bachelor's degrees and eight associate degree programs.

Penn State founded an education center in the area in 1934, as part of an initiative to provide localized learning facilities that could grant associate degrees or allow students to complete the first two years of a bachelor's degree without the expense of living in University Park. However, the center was closed in the 1940s due to World War II. In the 1950s, the commonwealth campus system was established and local branch campuses, each fully integrated into the Penn State system, were established across the state. Fayette Campus opened in 1965. It was first housed in rented space in downtown Uniontown before relocating to its current site three years later.

Students at Penn State Fayette can complete the first two years of nearly all 160+ majors offered throughout the Penn State system. In addition, students can complete the following degrees in their entirety at the Penn State Fayette campus:[citation needed]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lemont Furnace PA

Picking the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve 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 training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Lemont Furnace PA.