Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Slippery Rock PA

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near Slippery Rock 16057

Slippery Rock PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Slippery Rock PA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients 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 get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Slippery Rock PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Slippery Rock PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Slippery Rock PA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Slippery Rock PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Slippery Rock PA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive 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 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. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Slippery Rock PA While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Slippery Rock PA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Slippery Rock PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Slippery Rock PA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Slippery Rock PA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Slippery Rock PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Slippery Rock healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Slippery Rock PA residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Slippery Rock PA area, make certain that they are available. 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 carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Slippery Rock Pennsylvania?

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

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,625 at the 2010 census.[4] It is home to the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Slippery Rock is included in the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Slippery Rock is located in northwest Butler County at 41°3′49″N 80°3′18″W / 41.06361°N 80.05500°W / 41.06361; -80.05500 (41.063746, -80.055007).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km2), all of it land.[4]Slippery Rock Creek, the borough's namesake, runs through a valley 2 miles (3 km) south of the borough.

Since the 1960s Slippery Rock has been well served by the Interstate Highway system as Interstate 79 (north-south) and Interstate 80 (east-west) cross 12 miles (19 km) to the north. The closest access to I-79 is 4 miles (6 km) to the west on Pennsylvania Route 108. PA 258 (N. Main Street) leads northwest 7.7 miles (12.4 km) to I-79.

Select the Right Physical Therapist College near Slippery Rock PA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Slippery Rock PA.