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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Hendersonville 37075

Hendersonville TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Hendersonville TN is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest 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 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Hendersonville TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Hendersonville TN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with 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:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Hendersonville TN medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Hendersonville TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Hendersonville TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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 United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hendersonville TN While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hendersonville TN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Hendersonville TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting 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. Call several Hendersonville TN 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 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 schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure 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 Hendersonville TN area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many 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 colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Hendersonville TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Hendersonville health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at 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 final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Hendersonville TN home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hendersonville TN area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hendersonville Tennessee?

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

Hendersonville, Tennessee

Hendersonville is the fourth-largest city in the Nashville metropolitan area after Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Franklin and the 11th largest in Tennessee. Hendersonville is located 18 miles northeast of downtown Nashville. The city was settled around 1784 by Daniel Smith, and is named for William Henderson, the city's first postmaster.[6]

Hendersonville has been home to numerous musicians of the Nashville area, especially those of country music, most notably Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash,[7]Conway Twitty, and Roy Orbison.[8] The city's main road, Johnny Cash Parkway, was named for the former singer. Other notable past and present residents include Conway Twitty[9](whose home, Twitty City, was transformed into the Trinity Music City complex after his death in 1993), Jean Shepard,[10]Marty Stuart,[11]Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift,[12]Young Buck,[13] and Chris Henderson (3 Doors Down).[14]

In 1790, William Henderson settled in Sumner County and later became the namesake of the town. It was a trading center for the county, which was devoted to the production of tobacco and hemp as commodity crops, and blood livestock: both horses and cattle. During the Civil War, Monthaven was used as a field hospital.[citation needed] In the late 20th century, this historic home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Hendersonville TN

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed 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 as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to 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 accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hendersonville TN.