Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Alcoa TN

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Program near Alcoa 37701

Alcoa TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Alcoa TN is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Alcoa TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Alcoa TN hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Alcoa TN health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep 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 stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Alcoa TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Alcoa TN area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Alcoa TN While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Alcoa TN home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Alcoa TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Alcoa TN physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Alcoa TN area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have relationships with Alcoa TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Alcoa healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Alcoa TN home. Those who have opted 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 keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Alcoa TN area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Alcoa Tennessee?

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

Alcoa

Alcoa Corporation (from Aluminum Company of America) is an American industrial corporation. It is the world's sixth largest producer of aluminium,[2] with corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Alcoa conducts operations in 10 countries. Alcoa is a major producer of primary aluminium, fabricated aluminium, and alumina combined, through its active and growing participation in all major aspects of the industry: technology, mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling.[3]

In May 2007 Alcoa Inc. made a US$27 billion hostile takeover bid for Alcan in an attempt to form the world's largest aluminium producer.[4] The bid was withdrawn when Alcan announced a friendly takeover by Rio Tinto in July 2007.[5]

On November 1, 2016, Alcoa Inc. split into two new entities: Alcoa Corporation, which is engaged in the mining and manufacture of raw aluminium, and Arconic, which processes aluminium and other metals.[6]

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Alcoa TN

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Alcoa TN.