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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Lightfoot 23090

Lightfoot VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Lightfoot VA is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Lightfoot VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Lightfoot VA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Lightfoot VA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Lightfoot VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Lightfoot VA area:

Associate Degrees train 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 equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lightfoot VA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, 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 college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lightfoot VA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Lightfoot VA area and across Virginia, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 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 just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Lightfoot VA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact 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 therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lightfoot VA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with Lightfoot VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Lightfoot healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Lightfoot VA home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lightfoot VA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lightfoot Virginia?

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

Lightfoot

Select the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Lightfoot VA

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve 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 proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lightfoot VA.