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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy College near Sumter 29150

Sumter SC physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Sumter SC is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become 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 the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Sumter SC physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Sumter SC private practices, hospitals, 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 previously 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 patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Sumter SC medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Sumter SC 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 alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing 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 Sumter SC area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and commonly 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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 offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding 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 Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sumter SC While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Sumter SC residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Sumter SC area and across South Carolina, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check 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 getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Sumter SC physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with the South Carolina Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Sumter SC area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Sumter SC clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Sumter medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges 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 students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Sumter SC residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps 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 typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Sumter SC area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sumter South Carolina?

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

Sumter, South Carolina

Sumter /ˈsʌmtər/ is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, United States.[3] Known as the Sumter Metropolitan Statistical Area, the namesake county adjoins Clarendon and Lee to form the core of Sumter-Lee-Clarendon tri-county area of South Carolina, an area that includes the three counties in the east central Piedmont. The population was 39,643 at the 2000 census,[1] and it rose to 40,524 at the 2010 census.[4]

Incorporated as Sumterville in 1845, the city's name was shortened to Sumter in 1855.[citation needed] It has grown and prospered from its early beginnings as a plantation settlement. The city and county of Sumter bear the name of General Thomas Sumter, the "Fighting Gamecock" of the American Revolutionary War.

During the Civil War, the town was an important supply and railroad repair center for the Confederacy.[5] After the war, Sumter grew and prospered, using its large railroad network to supply cotton, timber, and by the start of the 20th century, tobacco to the region.[citation needed]

Select the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Sumter SC

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Sumter SC.