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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Lytle 78052

Lytle TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Lytle TX is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

Lytle TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Lytle TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Lytle TX health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going 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

Lytle TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Lytle TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted 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 typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lytle TX While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lytle TX residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Lytle TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 college, it may also earn 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, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Lytle TX physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lytle TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist 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 superior training and a curriculum 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate 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 supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Lytle TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Lytle health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Lytle TX residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something 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 might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lytle TX area, verify that they are offered. 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, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lytle Texas?

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

Lytle, Texas

Lytle is located in the northern corner of Atascosa County at 29°13′59″N 98°48′00″W / 29.23306°N 98.80000°W / 29.23306; -98.80000Coordinates: 29°13′59″N 98°48′00″W / 29.23306°N 98.80000°W / 29.23306; -98.80000 (29.233066, -98.799877).[4] Most of the city lies in Atascosa County; only small portions extend into Bexar and Medina counties.

Interstate 35 passes through the southeast part of the city, with access from Exit 131. Lytle's Main Street is Texas State Highway 132, following the route of the former U.S. Route 81 southwest to Natalia and Devine before rejoining I-35. Downtown San Antonio is 25 miles (40 km) northeast via I-35, and Laredo is 133 miles (214 km) to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.5 square miles (12 km2), of which, 4.45 square miles (11.5 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[5]

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Lytle TX

Deciding on the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lytle TX.