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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Pamplico 29583

Pamplico SC physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Pamplico SC is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. 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 relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Pamplico SC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Pamplico SC hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Pamplico SC health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about 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

Pamplico SC 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 become 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 short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Pamplico SC area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed 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 Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pamplico SC While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pamplico SC residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Pamplico SC area and throughout South Carolina, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 select an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’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 as well. Get in touch with a few Pamplico SC physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the South Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pamplico SC area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for South Carolina or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have relationships with Pamplico SC hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Pamplico health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer 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 perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Pamplico SC home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need 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 Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Pamplico SC area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pamplico South Carolina?

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

Pamplico, South Carolina

Pamplico is located in eastern Florence County at 33°59′46″N 79°34′4″W / 33.99611°N 79.56778°W / 33.99611; -79.56778 (33.996071, -79.567777).[4] It is located 3 miles (5 km) west of the Pee Dee River and 19 miles (31 km) southeast of Florence, the county seat. South Carolina Highway 51, a secondary thoroughfare for traffic to Myrtle Beach, passes through the town center. Myrtle Beach is 51 miles (82 km) to the southeast.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,139 people, 419 households, and 323 families residing in the town. The population density was 615.2 people per square mile (237.7/km²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 250.1 per square mile (96.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 45.04% White, 52.50% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 1.05% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.

There were 419 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 26.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.11.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Pamplico SC

Choosing the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Pamplico SC.