Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Three Rivers TX

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Three Rivers 78071

Three Rivers TX physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Three Rivers TX is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Three Rivers TX physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Three Rivers TX hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Three Rivers TX medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite 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 Therapy Degrees

Three Rivers TX physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Three Rivers TX area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up 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. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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 USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Three Rivers TX While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so 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 necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Three Rivers TX home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Three Rivers TX area and throughout Texas, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Three Rivers 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 school options. It may also be prudent to contact the Texas Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Three Rivers TX area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Three Rivers TX clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Three Rivers healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing 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 final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Three Rivers TX home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally 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 choose 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Three Rivers TX area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Three Rivers Texas?

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

Three Rivers, Texas

Mrs. Annie T. Hamilton of Cuero owned a tract of land in the Brush Country where Three Rivers now sits. At the urging of Mrs. Hamilton, Charles R. Tips came to the Brush Country. In 1913, Mrs. Hamilton paid the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad to build a depot on her land in 1913. Tips organized a townsite company and sold land for the township. On July 4, 1913 the town began with a grand opening and first sale of land.[4] From its formation it was designed as a segregated township, with the "Mexican" section located between the river and the railroad tracks, west of the business section. This can still be seen today in the differences of street names, even though forced segregation ended many decades past.

The city is named for its proximity to three rivers, the Atascosa River, the Frio River, and the Nueces River (the Atascosa joins the Frio north of the city, while the Frio joins the Nueces south of the city).[5] Originally named Hamiltonburg, the city name was changed when mail meant for the city was accidentally delivered to Hamilton, Texas instead. Tips suggested the town be named for its location near the rivers, and Three Rivers was approved as the new name by the post office department on May 1, 1914. Three Rivers was incorporated in 1926 and operates under the general-law aldermanic form of government. In 1925 its population was estimated at 1,000, in 1931 at 1,275, and in 1965 at 1,932, with seventy businesses.[4]

In 1920 natural gas was discovered near Three Rivers and was piped into town and a small refinery was built. The first glass factory in Texas was built at Three Rivers in 1922 as the gas fuel and local sand was plentiful.[5] The onset of the Great Depression forced the sale of the factory to the Ball Glass Company in 1937, and the factory was permanently closed in 1938. The small refinery, however, expanded over time to become a major Diamond Shamrock refinery by 1990 and still is a major employer in the town to this day.[4]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Three Rivers TX

Deciding on the right physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish 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 options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Three Rivers TX.