Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Jenkinsville SC

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Jenkinsville 29065

Jenkinsville SC physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Jenkinsville SC is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant 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 address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Jenkinsville SC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Jenkinsville SC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Jenkinsville SC medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Jenkinsville SC physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Jenkinsville SC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify 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 portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

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 licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jenkinsville SC While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jenkinsville SC residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Jenkinsville SC area and throughout South Carolina, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Jenkinsville SC physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with the South Carolina 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 Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Jenkinsville SC area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for South Carolina or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Jenkinsville SC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Jenkinsville healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit 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 want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Jenkinsville SC residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Jenkinsville SC 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 enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jenkinsville South Carolina?

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

Jenkinsville, South Carolina

Jenkinsville is an incorporated town in western Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States, between the Broad and the Little rivers. It is located east of Monticello Reservoir[3] and is near the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station. Also in the area is the Kincaid-Anderson House[4] and quarry. The town is South Carolina's newest, incorporating in 2008.[5] Jenkinsville's population at the 2010 census was 46, making it South Carolina's second smallest town.[1]

In addition to the Kincaid-Anderson House, the Ebenezer Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Dr. John Glenn House, High Point, Little River Baptist Church, and Mayfair are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Jenkinsville SC

Selecting the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Jenkinsville SC.