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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Hidalgo 78557

Hidalgo TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Hidalgo TX is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Hidalgo TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Hidalgo TX hospitals, health clinics, 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 touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Hidalgo TX medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Hidalgo TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Hidalgo 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 a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment 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 United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hidalgo TX While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, 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 close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hidalgo TX home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Hidalgo TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, 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 simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Hidalgo TX physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact 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 couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hidalgo TX area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Hidalgo TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Hidalgo medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching 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 final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Hidalgo TX residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hidalgo TX area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hidalgo Texas?

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

Hidalgo, Texas

The area that is now Hidalgo was first settled by Spanish colonists led by José de Escandón in about 1749. The colony was known by multiple names: La Habitación, Rancho San Luís, and San Luisito. In 1852, John Young settled in the area and renamed the town "Edinburgh" after his place of birth, Edinburgh, Scotland; Edinburgh became the county seat of Hidalgo County. The town was incorporated in 1876, and its name was changed to "Hidalgo" in 1885.

Hidalgo is located in southern Hidalgo County at 26°6′16″N 98°14′47″W / 26.10444°N 98.24639°W / 26.10444; -98.24639 (26.104473, -98.246443).[5] It is located across the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte) from the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

One of the southern termini of U.S. Route 281 is at the border crossing in Hidalgo. The highway leads east then north 12 miles (19 km) to Pharr, or southeast 54 miles (87 km) to Brownsville. Texas State Highway 115 runs north from Hidalgo 8 miles (13 km) to McAllen, the largest city in Hidalgo County.

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Hidalgo TX

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is an important initial decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Hidalgo TX.