Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - La Vergne TN

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near La Vergne 37086

La Vergne TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near La Vergne TN is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

La Vergne TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as La Vergne TN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other La Vergne TN medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of 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 instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in La Vergne TN Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, 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 near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s La Vergne TN residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the La Vergne TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few La Vergne TN physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with 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 Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once 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 La Vergne TN area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have partnerships with La Vergne TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the La Vergne medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their La Vergne TN residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally 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 decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the La Vergne TN area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near La Vergne Tennessee?

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

La Vergne, Tennessee

La Vergne (/ləˈvɜːrn/ lə-VURN) is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee. The population was 32,588 at the 2010 census[4] and 34,423 in 2018[5]. La Vergne lies within the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

La Vergne is located in northern Rutherford County southeast of Nashville. It directly borders the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville on the northwest, Smyrna on the southeast, and Percy Priest Lake on the northeast. Interstate 24 and U.S. route 41 pass through the community.[7] The Percy Priest Reservoir on the Stones River lies to the north of the community.[8]

As of the special census of 2018, there were 34,423 people (from 18,687 in 2000 census), 11,204 households (from 6,536 households in 2000), and 8,901 families residing in the city. The population density was 753.7 people per square mile (290.9/km²). There were 6,994 housing units at an average density of 282.1 per square mile (108.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.50% White, 11.02% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near La Vergne TN

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school 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 right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in La Vergne TN.