Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Anna TX

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Anna 75409

Anna TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Anna TX is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled 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 need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Anna TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Anna TX hospitals, health clinics, 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 individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Anna TX health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Anna TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Anna TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Anna TX While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Anna TX residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus options, 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 ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Anna TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Anna TX physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Anna TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Texas or the state where you will be working. In every 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 differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have associations with Anna TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Anna medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. 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 some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Anna TX residence. Those who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Anna TX area, make sure 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 need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Anna Texas?

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

Anna, Texas

Anna is located in northern Collin County at 33°21′01″N 96°33′03″W / 33.350308°N 96.550762°W / 33.350308; -96.550762.[5] The U.S. Route 75 freeway passes through the west side of the city and leads 45 miles (72 km) southwest to the center of Dallas and 32 miles (51 km) north to Denison.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Anna has a total area of 14.1 square miles (36.6 km2), of which 14.1 square miles (36.4 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.46%, is water.[4] According to the City of Anna website, the city has a total area of approximately 15 square miles (39 km2) in its city limits and approximately 60 square miles (160 km2) in its planning area.[6]

As of the 2010 census, there were 8,249 people, 2,576 households residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 78.4.% White, 7.7% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 8.6% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.9% of the population.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Anna TX

Selecting the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Anna TX.