Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Tower City PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Tower City 17980

Tower City PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Tower City PA is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Tower City PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Tower City PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Tower City PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Tower City PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Tower City PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with 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 attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Tower City PA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to 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 in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Tower City PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like 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 Tower City PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned 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 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 enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Tower City PA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Tower City PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports 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 therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have associations with Tower City PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Tower City medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing 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 final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Tower City PA residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Tower City PA area, make certain that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Tower City Pennsylvania?

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

Tower City, Pennsylvania

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,396 people, 608 households, and 383 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,546.8 people per square mile (1,738.7/km²). There were 684 housing units at an average density of 2,227.8 per square mile (851.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.85% White, 0.21% African American, 0.50% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.

There were 608 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

Select the Best Physical Therapist School near Tower City PA

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Tower City PA.