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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Helotes 78023

Helotes TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Helotes TX is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Helotes TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Helotes TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment 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 due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Helotes TX medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Helotes TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue 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 target either preparing 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 Helotes TX area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Helotes TX Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Helotes TX residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Helotes TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for 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 a few Helotes TX physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Helotes TX area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with Helotes TX hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Helotes health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher 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 a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Helotes TX residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing 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 be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Helotes TX area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Helotes Texas?

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

Helotes, Texas

Helotes (/həˈloʊtɪs/ hə-LOH-tis) is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States, located on the far northwest side of San Antonio. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,341 at the 2010 census.[4]

According to anthropologists,[according to whom?] the area was occupied seasonally from about 5,000 B.C. by small bands of nomadic Native American tribes in search of food and game.[5] The Lipan Apache moved into the area in the late 17th century and occupied it throughout the 18th century. However, the Lipan were forced from the area in the early 1820s by the Comanche Indians.

A small farming and ranching community began to develop in the area shortly after the Texas Revolution in the late 1830s.[6] The ranches suffered occasional attacks by the Comanches until the late 1870s.[6]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Helotes TX

Deciding on the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Helotes TX.