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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Rockwall 75032

Rockwall TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Rockwall TX is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Rockwall TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Rockwall TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Rockwall TX health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Rockwall TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered 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 Rockwall TX area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding 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 Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rockwall TX Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Rockwall TX residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Rockwall TX area and across Texas, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is best 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 thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Rockwall TX physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide 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 find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Rockwall TX area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have relationships with Rockwall TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get 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 Rockwall medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average teacher to student 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 an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Rockwall TX home. Those who have decided 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 importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Rockwall TX area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative 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 as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rockwall Texas?

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

Rockwall, Texas

Rockwall is a city in Rockwall County, Texas, United States, which is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It is the county seat of Rockwall County.[4] The population was 37,490 at the 2010 census. The name Rockwall is derived from a naturally jointed geological formation, which has the appearance of an artificial wall.[5][6]

The association of Paleo-Indian artifacts with extinct Pleistocene mammal remains in various archeological sites within in the Texas Prairie-Savannah Region of eastern North Central Texas, including a site in Collin County and Clovis points recovered from the Brushy Creek Clovis Site in Hunt County, demonstrates that Rockwall region was occupied by prehistoric Native American cultures at least as far back as 13,500 to 13,000 years ago.[7][8][9] More recently, the Rockwall region was occupied by Caddo Indians. Creek Indians moved to the area in the early 19th century.

In 1851, as the first Anglo-American settlers moved to the area, they started to dig wells. During the digging, they found large underground rock walls that were initially believed to be manmade. Later study of the wall-like features by geologists and archaeologists found them to be jointed, natural sandstone dikes that had intruded Cretaceous marl.[5][6]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Rockwall TX

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach 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 options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Rockwall TX.