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

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near Huntingdon 38344

Huntingdon TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Huntingdon TN is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Huntingdon TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Huntingdon TN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Huntingdon TN health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Huntingdon TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Huntingdon TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Huntingdon TN Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Huntingdon TN residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Huntingdon TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, 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 therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent 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 essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’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 as well. Get in touch with a few Huntingdon TN physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Huntingdon TN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have associations with Huntingdon TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Huntingdon healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Huntingdon TN home. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble 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 decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even 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 often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Huntingdon TN area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Huntingdon Tennessee?

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

Huntingdon, Tennessee

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.9 square miles (30.9 km2), of which 11.9 square miles (30.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.42%, is water.[4]

As of the census [2] of 2000, the population density was 387.8 people per square mile (149.7/km²). There were 1,950 housing units at an average density of 173.9 per square mile (67.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 80.52% White, 17.87% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62% of the population.

There were 1,752 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.88.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Huntingdon TN

Selecting the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Huntingdon TN.