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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Schnecksville 18078

Schnecksville PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Schnecksville PA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college 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 along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Schnecksville PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Schnecksville PA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Schnecksville PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Schnecksville PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single 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 prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Schnecksville PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly 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 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 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Schnecksville PA While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Schnecksville PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Schnecksville PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 enroll in an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Schnecksville PA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After 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 Schnecksville PA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria 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 program. While 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 additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Schnecksville PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Schnecksville healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Schnecksville PA home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Schnecksville PA area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Schnecksville Pennsylvania?

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

Schnecksville, Pennsylvania

Schnecksville is a census-designated place (CDP) in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Schnecksville is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.

Schnecksville was first settled in 1756 by Adam Schneck. His log home is still standing but has been moved about a half mile from its original location. In 1840 Schnecksville was laid out by Daniel Schneck. The Schnecks still live in the town today. He and his son Moses Schneck owned a hotel and other buildings. A George Rau opened a store. There was a post office here in 1846 with Peter Gross as postmaster. In 1880 the population was 160 persons. There were two hotels, a store, twenty two dwellings, a school and a church. There is reference[where?] made to two churches, an Evangelical church dated from 1871, and a frame church owned by the United Brethren, the date not given.

Pennsylvania Route 309 runs through the middle of the area, exiting to the south towards Orefield and to the northwest towards Pleasant Corners. Pennsylvania Route 873 begins at PA 309 in Schnecksville and exits the area to the north towards Neffs. To the southwest is the Trexler Nature Preserve, which is also home to the Trexler Environmental Center and the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy School near Schnecksville PA

Choosing the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Schnecksville PA.