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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Training Program near Peterstown 24963

Peterstown WV physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Peterstown WV is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Peterstown WV physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Peterstown WV private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Peterstown WV health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Peterstown WV physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Peterstown WV area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist 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 essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Peterstown WV While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Peterstown WV home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Peterstown WV area and across West Virginia, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure 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 mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Peterstown WV physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the West Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Peterstown 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 even excellent. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both excellent training and a course of study 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 therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have relationships with Peterstown WV clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Peterstown health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Peterstown WV home. 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 area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Peterstown WV area, make certain 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 have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Peterstown West Virginia?

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

Peterstown, West Virginia

The town was named after Christian Peters, a pioneer settler.[6] The town is the site of the 1928 discovery of the 34.48 carat (6.896 g) Jones Diamond by Grover C. Jones and his son, William "Punch" Jones.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 653 people, 287 households, and 171 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,040.6 inhabitants per square mile (787.9/km2). There were 333 housing units at an average density of 1,040.6 per square mile (401.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.9% White, 0.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 287 households of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.9% 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 2.93.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Peterstown WV

Deciding on the right physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Peterstown WV.