Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Troy VA

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Training Program near Troy 22974

Troy VA physical therapy school student with volunteerObtaining a physical therapy degree near Troy VA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Troy VA physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in varying locations, including Troy VA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Troy VA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under 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 regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Troy VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degrees offered 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 target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Troy VA area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to practice as 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently 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 taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Troy VAAlthough not as common as the on campus options, there are many 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 incorporated 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 can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Troy VA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Troy VA area and across Virginia, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, 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 may also obtain 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, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Troy VA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college 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 filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Troy VA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Virginia or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Troy VA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Troy medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Troy VA residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online 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 keep 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Troy VA area, verify that they are available. 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 due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Troy Virginia?

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

Troy Baker

Troy Edward Baker (born April 1, 1976)[2][3][4] is an American voice actor and musician known for portraying the lead characters in various video games. His best known performances are as Joel in The Last of Us, Kanji Tatsumi in Persona 4, Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite, The Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins, Batman in various video games, Revolver Ocelot in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Delsin Rowe in Infamous: Second Son, Samuel Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Rhys in Tales from the Borderlands, Pagan Min in Far Cry 4, Logan Thackeray in Guild Wars 2 and Yuri in Tales of Vesperia. He also voiced in a number of English adaptations of Japanese anime shows, including Basilisk, Trinity Blood, Fullmetal Alchemist, One Piece, Bleach and Naruto: Shippuden. He is also known for voicing Marvel Comics characters like Hawkeye and Loki in several animated features.

Before pursuing acting, Baker was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the indie-rock band Tripp Fontaine, which released the radio single "Burning Out" from their debut album Random Thoughts on a Paper Napkin in 2004.[5][6] His first solo album, Sitting in the Fire, was released on October 14, 2014.[7][8][9] On October 6, 2017, Baker and the backing band of Sitting in the Fire released a second album called Moving Around Bias under the new name Window to the Abbey.[10]

Baker began his voice acting career doing radio commercials in Dallas. He was recruited by Chris Sabat to do voice-over work at Funimation for the English adaptation of the anime Case Closed.[11] He then went on to work with anime such as Bleach, Dragon Ball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, and One Piece. When he moved to Los Angeles, he began working on Marvel-based animated series where he provided the voice of various characters in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and Hawkeye and Loki in Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble.[1]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near Troy VA

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Troy VA.

A Few More Interesting Locations in Virginia

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