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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Shenandoah 22849

Shenandoah VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Shenandoah VA is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled 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 must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Shenandoah VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Shenandoah VA hospitals, health clinics, 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 touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Shenandoah VA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Shenandoah VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Shenandoah VA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required 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 finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 eliminated and is no longer offered 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 mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Shenandoah VA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Shenandoah VA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Shenandoah VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received 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 program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Shenandoah VA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Shenandoah VA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Shenandoah VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Shenandoah healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Shenandoah VA home. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps 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 commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Shenandoah VA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Shenandoah Virginia?

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

Shenandoah, Virginia

Shenandoah is located at 38°29′18″N 78°37′16″W / 38.48833°N 78.62111°W / 38.48833; -78.62111 (38.488225, −78.621217).[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (5.71%) is water. The town is nestled between the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains and the Massanutten Ridge in Page County. Shenandoah is 8 miles (13 km) west of Shenandoah National Park and 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Harrisonburg.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,878 people, 764 households, and 541 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,419.0 people per square mile (549.3/km²). There were 812 housing units at an average density of 613.5 per square mile (237.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.81% White, 1.28% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.

There were 764 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.87.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Shenandoah VA

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Shenandoah VA.