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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Channelview 77530

Channelview TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Channelview TX is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

Channelview TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Channelview TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Channelview TX medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Channelview TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Channelview TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy 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 essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Channelview TX Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Channelview TX home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Channelview TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 enroll in an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Channelview TX physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school 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 colleges.

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 colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, 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 Channelview TX area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Channelview TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Channelview health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Channelview TX home. Those who have decided 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 importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Channelview TX area, make certain that they are offered. 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 enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Channelview Texas?

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

Channelview, Texas

Channelview is a census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and Harris County. The population was 38,289 at the 2010 census.[3] The Handbook of Texas describes Channelview as "an oil refinery suburb of metropolitan Houston."

Channelview was given its name since it is located on the northeastern curve of the Houston Ship Channel.[4] The site of Channelview was home to Lorenzo de Zavala, one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Texas. During World War II the area south of Market to the Ship Channel, and what is now DeZavala St. to the tollway, was part of the U.S. Army Ordnance Depot.

Channelview was the site of a notable murder plot occurring in 1991. Wanda Webb Holloway was upset that her daughter, Shanna, had failed two consecutive years to make her junior high school's cheerleading squad. Holloway came to believe that the fault lay not with Shanna's inability to make the squad, but with Verna Heath, whose daughter, Amber Heath, was a main rival of Shanna's. Holloway asked Terry Harper, her former brother-in-law, to find a hit man to murder Verna Heath, hoping that Amber would be distraught and perform poorly in tryouts, thus allowing Shanna to make the squad. However, Harper notified authorities of the plot, and an undercover police officer arrested Holloway. Holloway argued that Harper was guilty of entrapment, saying that she never intended anyone to get killed. A jury sentenced Holloway to 15 years for attempted murder.[5] The story was made into a 1993 HBO movie, The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom. Channelview is also home to Houston Astros pitcher Chris Sampson and former outfielder Glenn Wilson. Another famous athlete to come out of Channelview is former Chicago Bears (NFL) wide receiver Johnny Knox. He graduated class of 2005 from Channelview High School.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Channelview TX

Choosing the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize 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 field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Channelview TX.