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

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near Holladay 38341

Holladay TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Holladay TN is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Holladay TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Holladay TN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Holladay TN medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Holladay TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Holladay TN area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Holladay TN While not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Holladay TN home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Holladay TN area and across Tennessee, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Holladay TN physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Holladay TN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be practicing. 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. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Holladay TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Holladay medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Holladay TN home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Holladay TN area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure 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 Holladay Tennessee?

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

John Holladay

John Holladay (March 10, 1798 – December 31, 1861) was a founder and namesake of the settlement of Holladay's Burg, Utah Territory, which became Holladay, Utah. He was an early pioneer in Colorado, Utah, and California.

Holladay was born in Camden District, Kershaw County, South Carolina. A few descendants insist on calling him "John Daniel", though published historical accounts agree his given name was only "John".[1]

Holladay married Catherine Beasley Higgins, also Camden born, in South Carolina in 1822. They had 10 children, nine of whom survived early childhood. Holladay's earliest known forbearer in the New World, his great-grandfather, is John "The Ranger" Holladay of Belfonte, Virginia. "The Ranger" is also an ancestor of Ben Holladay, "The Stagecoach King"[2] and Doc Holliday, notorious gunfighter at Tombstone's O.K. Corral.

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Holladay TN

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must 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 enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Holladay TN.