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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Philadelphia 19019

Philadelphia PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Philadelphia PA is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Philadelphia PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Philadelphia 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 suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Philadelphia PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Philadelphia PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Philadelphia PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having 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 Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Philadelphia PA Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Philadelphia PA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Philadelphia PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into 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 best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 college, it may also receive 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, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Philadelphia PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. 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 schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Philadelphia PA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Philadelphia PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Philadelphia medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Philadelphia PA home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible 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 may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Philadelphia PA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Philadelphia Pennsylvania?

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

Philadelphia

Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the U.S. state and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous U.S. city, with a 2017 census-estimated population of 1,580,863.[6]Since 1854, the city has been coterminous with Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the eighth-largest U.S. metropolitan statistical area, with over 6 million residents as of 2017[update].[4] Philadelphia is also the economic and cultural anchor of the greater Delaware Valley, located along the lower Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, within the Northeast megalopolis. The Delaware Valley's population of 7.2 million ranks it as the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States.[5]

William Penn, an English Quaker, founded the city in 1682 to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony.[8] Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 at the Second Continental Congress, and the Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Several other key events occurred in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War including the First Continental Congress, the preservation of the Liberty Bell, the Battle of Germantown, and the Siege of Fort Mifflin. Philadelphia was one of the nation's capitals during the revolution, and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington, D.C., was under construction. In the 19th century, Philadelphia became a major industrial center and a railroad hub. The city grew from an influx of European immigrants, most of whom came from Ireland, Italy and Germany—the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city as of 2015[update].[9] In the early 20th century, Philadelphia became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration after the Civil War,[10] as well as Puerto Ricans.[11] The city's population doubled from one million to two million people between 1890 and 1950.

The Philadelphia area's many universities and colleges make it a top study destination, as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub.[12][13] According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Philadelphia area had a gross domestic product of US$431 billion in 2016, the eighth-largest metropolitan economy in the United States.[14] Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to five Fortune 1000 companies. The Philadelphia skyline is expanding, with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016,[15] including several nationally prominent skyscrapers.[16] Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city.[17][18]Fairmount Park, when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed, is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States.[19] The city is known for its arts, culture, cuisine, and colonial history, attracting 42 million domestic tourists in 2016 who spent US$6.8 billion, generating an estimated $11 billion in total economic impact in the city and surrounding four counties of Pennsylvania.[20] Philadelphia has also emerged as a biotechnology hub.[21]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist College near Philadelphia PA

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different schools to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Philadelphia PA.