Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Charles Town WV

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Charles Town 25414

Charles Town WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Charles Town WV is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated 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 receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Charles Town WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Charles Town WV hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Charles Town WV medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Charles Town WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Charles Town WV area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of practicing 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 Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Charles Town WV While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Charles Town WV home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, including 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 invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Charles Town WV area and throughout West Virginia, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Charles Town WV physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the West Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Charles Town WV area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for West Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Charles Town WV hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Charles Town medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes enable 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 classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Charles Town WV residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps 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 normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Charles Town WV area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Charles Town West Virginia?

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

Charles Town, West Virginia

Charles Town, officially the City of Charles Town, is a city in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, and is also the county seat.[6] The population was 5,259 at the 2010 United States Census.

"Charlestown" was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in January 1787.[7] However, for about two decades, confusion arose because the same name was also used for a town established in Ohio County at the mouth of Buffalo Creek, and authorized in the 1791 term of that local court. That area in 1797 became known as Brooke County, with that "Charlestown" as its county seat until a December 27, 1816 act of the Virginia General Assembly changed its name to Wellsburg, to honor a trader and his son.[8]

Charles Washington, the founder of Charles Town, was born in Hunting Creek, now Fairfax County, Virginia on May 2, 1738. He was the youngest full brother of George Washington. He came to present Jefferson County between April and October 1780. The estate of Charles Washington, Happy Retreat, was erected in 1780. In 1786, on 80 acres (320,000 m²) of his adjoining land, Charles laid out the streets of Charles Town,[9] naming many of them after his brothers and one after his wife, Mildred. He donated the four corner lots at the intersection of George and Washington Streets for public buildings of the town and county, provided the town become the seat of the county separated from Berkeley County,

Choose the Right Physical Therapist College near Charles Town WV

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Charles Town WV.