Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Barboursville WV

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Barboursville 25504

Barboursville WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Barboursville WV is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to 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 acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Barboursville WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Barboursville WV hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Barboursville WV health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Barboursville WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Barboursville WV 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 a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want 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 finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 offered 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 existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Barboursville WV Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Barboursville WV residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring 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 Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Barboursville WV area and across West Virginia, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you select the school that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Barboursville WV physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to check with the West Virginia 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 couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Barboursville WV area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for West Virginia or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Barboursville WV clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Barboursville medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Barboursville WV residence. Those 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 program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Barboursville WV area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Barboursville West Virginia?

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

Barboursville, West Virginia

Barboursville is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 287,702. New definitions from February 28, 2013 placed the population at 363,000.[6]

The Barboursville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The Thornburg House was separately listed in 1991.[8] Barboursville also contains the historic Miller House, a building constructed in 1835 by local pioneer William Clendenin Miller, grandson of Major George Clendenin (Served under Lt. Colonel Daniel Boone in the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant, and along with Boone was the first representative of Kanawha County, and incidentally what would become Cabell County. Also was a co-founder of Charleston, West Virginia.)[9]

Barboursville is located at 38°24′40″N 82°17′52″W / 38.41111°N 82.29778°W / 38.41111; -82.29778 (38.411002, -82.297758).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.19 square miles (10.85 km2), of which, 4.09 square miles (10.59 km2) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[1] The confluence of the Mud River and the Guyandotte River is just north of the village.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy College near Barboursville WV

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Barboursville WV.