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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Stanley 22851

Stanley VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Stanley VA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Stanley VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Stanley VA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Stanley VA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Stanley VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees 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 focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Stanley VA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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 United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Stanley VA Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more 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 a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Stanley VA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar 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 advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Stanley VA area and throughout Virginia, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’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. Contact a few Stanley VA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Stanley VA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Stanley VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Stanley medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at 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 determination. This will also give you a chance 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 lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Stanley VA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing 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 might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Stanley VA area, verify that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol 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 Stanley Virginia?

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

Stanley, Virginia

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,326 people, 562 households, and 363 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,203.8 people per square mile (465.4/km²). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 542.9 per square mile (209.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.89% White, 1.28% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.49% of the population.

There were 562 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Stanley VA

Selecting the right physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with active 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 supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Stanley VA.