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Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – West Palm Beach FL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near West Palm Beach 33401

West Palm Beach FL physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapist degree near West Palm Beach FL is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with 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 what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

West Palm Beach FL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as West Palm Beach FL 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 struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other West Palm Beach FL medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

West Palm Beach FL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered 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. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the West Palm Beach FL area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in West Palm Beach FLAlthough not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s West Palm Beach FL home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the West Palm Beach FL area and across Florida, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several West Palm Beach FL physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Florida Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, 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 West Palm Beach FL area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Florida or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required 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, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have associations with West Palm Beach FL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the West Palm Beach healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their West Palm Beach FL residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear 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 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 for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the West Palm Beach FL area, make sure that they are offered. 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 have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near West Palm Beach Florida?

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

West Palm Beach, Florida

West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States.[6] It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The population was 100,343 (revised) at the 2010 census. The US Census estimates a 2016 population of 108,896, a 7.9% increase from 2010.

It is the oldest incorporated municipality in the Miami metropolitan area, having been incorporated as a city two years before Miami in November 1894. Although West Palm Beach is located approximately 68 miles (109 km) north of Downtown Miami, it is still considered a principal city within the Miami metropolitan area, due to the solid urbanization between both cities. The estimated population of the Miami metropolitan area, which includes all of Palm Beach County, was 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census.

The beginning of the historic period in south Florida is marked by Juan Ponce de León's first contact with native people in 1513. Europeans found a thriving native population, which they categorized into separate tribes: the Mayaimi in the Lake Okeechobee Basin and the Jaega and Ais people in the East Okeechobee area and on the east coast north of the Tequesta. When the Spanish arrived, there were perhaps about 20,000 Native Americans in south Florida. By 1763, when the English gained control of Florida, the native peoples had all but been wiped out through war, enslavement, or European diseases.[7]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near West Palm Beach FL

Choosing the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you have 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 select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in West Palm Beach FL.

A Few More Interesting Locations in Florida

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