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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Gillett 78116

Gillett TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Gillett TX is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Gillett TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Gillett TX private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Gillett TX medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating 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 patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Gillett TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available 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 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 offered in the Gillett TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly include 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Gillett TX Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Gillett TX residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Gillett TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 select an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Gillett TX physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Gillett TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both superior 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 school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have associations with Gillett TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships 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 can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Gillett health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Gillett TX residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. 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 might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Gillett TX area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gillett Texas?

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

Gillett, Texas

Choose the Best Physical Therapist College near Gillett TX

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is an important initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following 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 proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Gillett TX.