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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Program near Purcellville 20132

Purcellville VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Purcellville VA is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Purcellville VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Purcellville VA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Purcellville VA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Purcellville VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Purcellville VA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible 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 often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 United States. Some licensed 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 implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Purcellville VA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships 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 portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Purcellville VA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Purcellville VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received 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 select an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Purcellville VA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school options. 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Purcellville VA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Virginia or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Purcellville VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Purcellville healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Purcellville VA residence. Students who have opted 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 might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Support Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Purcellville VA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Purcellville Virginia?

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

Purcellville, Virginia

Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate (as of July 1, 2015). Purcellville is the major population center for Western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today[update], many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.

Although the first land grant in the area was issued by Lord Fairfax in 1740, it was not until 1764 that Purcellville's first known settler, James Dillon from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, arrived. The early ox cart track which wound westward from Leesburg towards the Blue Ridge, known later as the "Great Road," served as the town's nucleus, although farms existed in the area, and Ketoctin Baptist Church had been founded nearby by 1752. The first recorded business, an ordinary (a combined store and inn), was established by Abraham Vickers in 1799. This was followed by a second ordinary, established by Stacey Taylor in 1804, and later by "Purcel's Store" and Post Office, established by Valentine Vernon Purcell (from whom the town's name is derived). A blacksmith's shop, established around 1848, was also among Purcellville's earliest businesses. On July 9, 1853 the village officially adopted the name Purcellville [3]

The Great Road became an authorized turnpike in 1785 and extended the turnpike system westward from Alexandria to Snickers Gap, and beyond to Berryville and Winchester.[4] With the construction of this Turnpike in 1832, travel through Purcellville began to increase and the first stagecoach arrived in 1841. A railroad link on the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire line (forerunner to the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad) connecting the town to Leesburg and points east was built prior to the Civil War, and travel to points further west were continued by stagecoach through Purcellville.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Purcellville VA

Selecting the right physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Purcellville VA.