Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Napavine WA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Napavine 98565

Napavine WA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Napavine WA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. 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?

Napavine WA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Napavine WA hospitals, health clinics, 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 people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Napavine WA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Napavine WA 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 available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Napavine WA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and often incorporate 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 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Napavine WA Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, 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 necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Napavine WA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Napavine WA area and throughout Washington, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Napavine WA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Washington Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of 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 Napavine WA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Washington 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 differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Napavine WA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Napavine health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Napavine WA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Napavine WA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Napavine Washington?

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

Napavine, Washington

Napavine was officially incorporated as a town on November 21, 1913. Settlers began arriving in the Cowlitz area in the early 1850s. In 1883, Scottish immigrant James Urquhart laid out the town naming it Napavine from the Indian word "Napavoon" meaning "small prairie".[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.39 square miles (6.19 km2), of which, 2.38 square miles (6.16 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1] The large hill that Napavine is sitting on is about 400 feet above sea level .

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,988 people, 609 households, and 770 families residing in the city. The population density was 742.0 inhabitants per square mile (286.5/km2). There were 662 housing units at an average density of 278.2 per square mile (107.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.0% White, 0.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.1% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Napavine WA

Picking the right physical therapy program is a necessary first 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 choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Napavine WA.