How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hot Springs 24445

Getting a physical therapist degree near Hot Springs VA is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Hot Springs VA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Strokes.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Hot Springs VA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Hot Springs VA area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the curriculum.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hot Springs VA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Hot Springs VA area and throughout Virginia, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned 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 may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Hot Springs VA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hot Springs VA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Hot Springs VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Hot Springs health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student 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 converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Hot Springs VA home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hot Springs VA area, verify that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hot Springs Virginia?

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

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Hot Springs VA

Choosing the best physical therapist school is an important first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Hot Springs VA.

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