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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Gladewater 75647

Gladewater TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Gladewater TX is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated 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 need to get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Gladewater TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Gladewater TX private practices, hospitals, 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 previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Gladewater TX medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Gladewater TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Gladewater TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and often include 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

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

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend 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 schools within the Gladewater TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, 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 important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Gladewater TX physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. It might also be prudent 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 Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Gladewater TX area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have partnerships with Gladewater TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Gladewater health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Gladewater TX residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Gladewater TX area, verify 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 carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gladewater Texas?

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

Gladewater, Texas

The town is probably most famous as a base during Elvis Presley's early career,[5] and also as the town in which Johnny Cash wrote "I Walk the Line". In the early 20th century, Gladewater was an oil boom town. Gladewater is known as the "Antique Capital of East Texas" with its Main Street downtown antique district.

It is located in western Gregg County and southern Upshur County at 32°32′34″N 94°56′49″W / 32.54278°N 94.94694°W / 32.54278; -94.94694 (32.542666, -94.946950),[6] primarily within Gregg County. U.S. Route 80 leads east 12 miles (19 km) to Longview and west 10 miles (16 km) to Big Sandy. U.S. Route 271 crosses US 80 in the center of Gladewater, leading north 14 miles (23 km) to Gilmer and southwest 25 miles (40 km) to Tyler.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Gladewater has a total area of 12.2 square miles (31.5 km2), of which 11.6 square miles (30.0 km2) are land and 0.54 square miles (1.4 km2), or 4.61%, are water.[4] The Sabine River forms the southwest border of the city.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Gladewater TX

Selecting the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak 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 supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Gladewater TX.