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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Elmendorf 78112

Elmendorf TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Elmendorf TX is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Elmendorf TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Elmendorf TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Elmendorf TX medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Elmendorf TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Elmendorf TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Elmendorf TX While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Elmendorf TX residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Elmendorf TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Elmendorf TX physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. 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 School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Elmendorf TX area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Texas 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 therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have relationships with Elmendorf TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Elmendorf healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Elmendorf TX home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry 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 choose to enroll in a school 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 to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Elmendorf TX area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours 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 Elmendorf Texas?

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

Elmendorf, Texas

Elmendorf is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio—New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,488 at the 2010 census.[3] It was founded in 1885 and named after Henry Elmendorf, a former mayor of San Antonio.[4] For a long time, the biggest employer was Star Clay Products.

Elmendorf is located in southeastern Bexar County at 29°15′41″N 98°19′50″W / 29.26139°N 98.33056°W / 29.26139; -98.33056 (29.261357, -98.330547),[5] 17 miles (27 km) southeast of downtown San Antonio at the juncture of Farm Road 327 and the Southern Pacific Railroad. A small portion of Elmendorf extends to the southeast into Wilson County.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 664 people, 226 households, and 162 families residing in the city. The population density was 537.4 people per square mile (206.8/km²). There were 266 housing units at an average density of 215.3/sq mi (82.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.81% White, 0.75% African American, 1.05% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 28.46% from other races, and 3.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 74.10% of the population.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Elmendorf TX

Picking the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Elmendorf TX.