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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Oakdale 37829

Oakdale TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Oakdale TN is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive 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 college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. 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 important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Oakdale TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Oakdale TN hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Oakdale TN health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Oakdale TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Oakdale TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Oakdale TN Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so 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 an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Oakdale TN home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Oakdale TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Oakdale TN physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Oakdale TN area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have associations with Oakdale TN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Oakdale medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical 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 some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Oakdale TN home. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble 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 decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Oakdale TN area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Oakdale Tennessee?

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

Oakdale, Tennessee

Oakdale was originally known as "Honeycutt" after an early settler, Allen Honeycutt. In the 1880s, the Cincinnati Southern Railway, which connected Chattanooga and Cincinnati, was built through the area, intersecting the vast system of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad (later the Southern Railway) at Emory Gap near Harriman. Allen Honeycutt donated land to the railroad for construction of a switching point. In 1892, the name of the town was changed to "Oakdale" after a nearby mining operation.[4][5]

The stretch of the Cincinnati Southern from Oakdale to Somerset, Kentucky, involves steep grades that were too difficult for normal late-19th and early-20th century steam-powered locomotives, so a railyard was set up at Oakdale where trains were modified to allow them to make the trek north.[6] By the early 1900s, Oakdale had developed into an important railroad town, with a bank, five general stores, a drugstore, a hardware store, three schools, two churches, six secret societies, and a newspaper.[7] The railroad also erected a large hotel, the Babahatchie Inn ("Babahatchie" was the original name of the Emory River), in 1880, and rebuilt it after it burned in 1892.[4] In 1905, this hotel was converted into one of the nation's largest YMCA facilities,[8] with 1,500 beds and its own library and clinic.[9] Oakdale initially incorporated in 1887, though the state repealed its charter in 1895. It incorporated again in 1911.[4]

The advent of diesel locomotives, which could handle the steep grades without modifications, eliminated the need for the Oakdale railyard, and the town declined in the mid-20th century.[6] A park and tennis courts were built in the 1970s, and a new SR 299 bridge over the Emory was completed in 1999.[5]

Choose the Right Physical Therapist College near Oakdale TN

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with current 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 following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Oakdale TN.