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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Petersburg 37144

Petersburg TN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Petersburg TN is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Petersburg TN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Petersburg TN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Petersburg TN health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Petersburg TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Petersburg TN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Petersburg TN Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Petersburg TN residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Petersburg TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, 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 therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Petersburg TN physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Petersburg TN area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Petersburg TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Petersburg healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Petersburg TN home. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Petersburg TN area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Petersburg Tennessee?

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

Petersburg, Tennessee

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 580 people, 235 households, and 156 families residing in the town. The population density was 627.7 people per square mile (243.4/km²). There were 252 housing units at an average density of 272.7 per square mile (105.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.41% White, 6.03% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.69% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.

There were 235 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the town, the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Petersburg TN

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is an important first decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Petersburg TN.