Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bealeton VA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Bealeton 22712

Bealeton VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Bealeton VA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Bealeton VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Bealeton VA 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 patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Bealeton VA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Bealeton VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Bealeton VA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the considerable 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 replaced 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 current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bealeton VA Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Bealeton VA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Bealeton VA area and across Virginia, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. 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 can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Bealeton VA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean 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 placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bealeton VA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with Bealeton VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Bealeton healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at 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 decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Bealeton VA residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bealeton VA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bealeton Virginia?

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

Bealeton, Virginia

Bealeton is located in southwestern Fauquier County. U.S. Route 17 leads north 10 miles (16 km) to Warrenton, the county seat, and southeast 27 miles (43 km) to Fredericksburg. VA 28 leads northeast 20 miles (32 km) to Manassas and southwest 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to U.S. Routes 29 and 15, which lead an additional 13 miles (21 km) to Culpeper.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km2), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2), or 0.23%, is water.[1] The area drains south via Marsh Run to the Rappahannock River.

Bealeton was originally a stop on the former Orange and Alexandria Railroad (absorbed ultimately into the Southern Railway in 1894, now Norfolk Southern), and the old railroad station building can be seen in the Bealeton Station development in front of the new Bealeton Library building. The building was previously located on County Road 805, Bealeton Road, which runs parallel and near the railway. The area was a major traveling point during the Civil War and saw many skirmishes related to nearby engagements.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Bealeton VA

Picking the right physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college 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 appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Bealeton VA.