Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Del Valle TX

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Del Valle 78617

Del Valle TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Del Valle TX is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury 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 be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in 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 considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Del Valle TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Del Valle TX hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Del Valle TX health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Del Valle TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Del Valle TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Del Valle TX While not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Del Valle TX residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, such as the type 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 since there are so many PT colleges within the Del Valle TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate 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 essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Del Valle TX physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Del Valle TX area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Del Valle TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Del Valle healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average 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 an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Del Valle TX residence. Students 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 concern. Something to consider is that if you choose 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 usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Del Valle TX area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Del Valle Texas?

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

Del Valle, Texas

It is an unincorporated area in southeastern Travis County, Texas, United States. It has no local government of its own and no official boundaries. But Austin has annexed portions, including the site of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 1990. After that, most recently in 2013, the city added more Del Valle territory to the east (8 to 13 miles southeast of downtown Austin).

In 1812 Santiago Del Valle settled in the hills of Central Texas in a piece of land given to him by the Spanish Government as a land grant.[2] The community of Del Valle, established in the mid-1870s, was named after the land grant. In 1878 a post office opened. By the mid-1880s Del Valle, with 50 residents, also had three churches, two cotton gins, one general store, one steam gristmill, and one school. The primary crops shipped by farmers in the Del Valle area were cotton and grain. By 1900 Del Valle had 75 residents. About 150 people lived in Del Valle in 1927. The Great Depression hampered the community, which had 25 residents in the early 1930s. In 1942 the Del Valle Army Air Base opened (later renamed Bergstrom Air Force Base), leading to an increase in the area population. In the mid-1940s Del Valle had 125 residents. In the mid-1950s Del Valle had 200 residents. In 1907 the area common school district had two schools. Throughout much of its history Del Valle was served by the Colorado Common School District Number 36 and the Hornsby-Dunlap Common School District.[1] In April 1963 the school district was renamed Del Valle Independent #910. From the early 1970s to the early 1990s, Del Valle's population estimates hovered around 300.[1] The military base was closed in 1993, to be re-opened as Austin–Bergstrom International Airport in 1999 which brought growth to Del Valle and Southeast Austin.

Austin–Bergstrom International Airport or ABIA (IATA: AUS, ICAO: KAUS, FAA LID: AUS, formerly BSM) is a Class C international airport located in Austin, Texas, United States (the capital of Texas), and serving the Greater Austin metropolitan area, the 34th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Downtown Austin, it covers 4,242 acres (1,717 ha) and has two runways and three helipads. It is on the site of what was Bergstrom Air Force Base. The airport and Air Force base were named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, an officer who served with the 19th Bombardment Group.The airport replaced Robert Mueller Municipal Airport as Austin's main airport.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Del Valle TX

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Del Valle TX.