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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Kingwood 26537

Kingwood WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Kingwood WV is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are considering to ensure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Kingwood WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Kingwood WV hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Kingwood WV health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Kingwood WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Kingwood WV area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kingwood WV While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kingwood WV home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Kingwood WV area and throughout West Virginia, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received 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 choose an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Kingwood WV physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might 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 colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Kingwood WV area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Kingwood WV hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Kingwood medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller 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 prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Kingwood WV home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Kingwood WV area, check that they are available. 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 need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kingwood West Virginia?

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

Kingwood, West Virginia

Kingwood is a city in and the county seat of Preston County, West Virginia, United States,[6] Founded in 1815, Kingwood is part of the Morgantown, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,939 at the 2010 census. Kingwood is home to the West Virginia Zoo.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,939 people, 1,291 households, and 818 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,209.5 inhabitants per square mile (467.0/km2). There were 1,454 housing units at an average density of 598.4 per square mile (231.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 1,291 households of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.80.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Kingwood WV

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Kingwood WV.