How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Jonesville 24263
Getting a physical therapy degree near Jonesville VA is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to make certain they will provide a superior 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 residence 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 cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.
What is a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Jonesville VA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. 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 experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:
- Osteoporosis and Arthritis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Strokes.
- Cardiac arrest.
- Sports injuries.
- Fire injuries.
- Knee Replacement.
- Sciatica.
- Multiple Sclerosis.
Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Jonesville VA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather 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 Degrees Offered
There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one 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. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Jonesville VA area:
- Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the program.
- Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed 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 the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.
Physical Therapist Online Degrees
Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jonesville VA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.
Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs
At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Jonesville VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make 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 need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.
Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 choose an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.
What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Jonesville VA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.
What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Jonesville VA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.
Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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 program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.
Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Jonesville VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Jonesville medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Jonesville VA home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Jonesville VA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jonesville Virginia?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Jonesville VA area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
Jonesville, Virginia
Jonesville was a small but thriving center of local commerce in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but like most towns in the central Appalachian region, it fell into gradual economic decline as the coal boom ebbed in the latter half of the twentieth century. By the end of the century much of the commercial real estate in its downtown area was either unoccupied or underutilized. Most of Jonesville's remaining commercial activity is concentrated in the west end. Jonesville Drug, one of the oldest surviving downtown businesses, relocated to the old Chappell's Dairy site on the west end in 2004.
Jonesville is the birthplace of Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO (August 6, 1828 – December 12, 1917). Dr Still was a founder of Baker University in Kansas and the founder of the American School of Osteopathic Medicine (now A. T. Still University) in Kirksville, MO (1892). Dr Still is considered the founder of osteopathic medicine and is the author of four books published in his lifetime. In December, 2013 Dr. Still was announced as an inductee to the Hall of Famous Missourians.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 995 people, 497 households, and 261 families residing in the town. The population density was 901.1 people per square mile (349.2/km²). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 511.7 per square mile (198.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.30% White, 0.10% African American, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
Choose the Right Physical Therapist College near Jonesville VA
Selecting the right physical therapist program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental 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 fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Jonesville VA.
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