Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Old Fields WV

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Program near Old Fields 26845

Old Fields WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Old Fields WV is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain 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 residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Old Fields WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Old Fields WV hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Old Fields WV health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Old Fields WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to become 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. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Old Fields WV area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified 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 four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Old Fields WV While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Old Fields WV home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Old Fields WV area and across West Virginia, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned 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 college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’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 organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Old Fields WV physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the West Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Old Fields WV area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for West Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Old Fields WV clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Old Fields medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing 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 ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Old Fields WV home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Old Fields WV area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Old Fields West Virginia?

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

Old Fields, West Virginia

Other buildings of interest in the vicinity include Old Fields Church (1812; the second-oldest church in West Virginia), the Garrett Van Meter House (1835), Willow Wall (1812), Buena Vista (1836), built for William T. Van Meter (killed in Gen. Wade Hampton’s “Beefsteak Raid” behind Union lines near Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864), and Traveler’s Rest (1856; constructed for Garrett Van Meter’s three unmarried sisters: Ann, Rebecca, and Susan).

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near Old Fields WV

Picking the best physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Old Fields WV.