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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Rice 75155

Rice TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Rice TX is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical 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 may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become 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 important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Rice TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Rice TX private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Rice TX medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Rice TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Rice TX area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rice TX While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Rice TX residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Rice TX area and across Texas, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to make certain that you select the college that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 as well. Get in touch with several Rice TX physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Rice TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Rice TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Rice medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering 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 an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Rice TX residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Rice TX area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rice Texas?

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

Rice, Texas

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2), of which, 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (3.21%) is water.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Rice has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[6]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 798 people, 260 households, and 215 families residing in the city. The population density was 294.9 people per square mile (113.7/km²). There were 371 housing units at an average density of 137.1/sq mi (52.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.32% White, 9.77% African American, 0.25% Native American, 12.53% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.54% of the population.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Rice TX

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Rice TX.