Making sure that you consider which institution you will enroll in carefully is the key to success with your program. Considering the following items will help.
PT Education Structure and Curriculum
Many of the accredited physical therapy schools provide various programs to help you obtain your degree. The two major types are degree first and “three plus three.” The degree first program is a PT education program that requires you first have your bachelors degree before pursuing a degree in physical therapy. This is a good option for those who are deciding to make a career move. But if you are starting out, you want to consider the three plus three program, which will fast track you to your career.
Clinical Education and Training
You also need to discuss the clinical education and training included with the physical therapy programs you are considering. PT Education will require a hands on approach to learning the best way to do it. If your college doesn’t provide you with adequate clinical opportunities and on-site training with qualified individuals, you may want to consider looking elsewhere. This could make it very difficult to get your first job in the field.
Physical therapy schools should also provide the right facilities to you. You should inquire as to what types of lab settings are available. Being able to actually get hands on experience in a lab, where you can practice important skills with fellow students, is essential to the successful transition from student to professional. If your pt education program isn’t able to provide labs, cross it from your list of potential schools.
Licensure Pass Rates
One statistic that will help you really understand the quality of the program you are entering is the licensure pass rates. Knowing how many of the former students of this pt education program obtained their license is a good sign of how adequate the program is in preparing students for the real world of physical therapy. If there is a low pass rate, you definitely need to consider another school.
Physical therapy programs generally have a high entering class and comparatively low graduation rate. So you should not consider this factor when assessing an institution before enrollment. This is a common trend in all medical fields.
Choosing based on the type of Physical Therapy Degree you Want
There are two types of physical therapy degree: The Doctor of Physical Therapy and the Master of Physical Therapy (also known as the Master of Science in Physical Therapy). These two degrees do not differ significantly except in the amount of time required to complete your PT Education. In the year 2015 all accredited schools will be required to provide the DPT education and the Master of Physical therapy will be phased out, so you should consider choosing a school offering the DPT to ensure long term flexibility in your career. Plus, it’s pretty cool to be called “Doctor!”
Are programs rated?
When choosing a physical therapy school, it would be great if you could look up a set of ratings to choose the best college for yourself. However, the American Physical Therapy Association does not rank the PT education programs. Instead, all programs are rated based on accreditation, which ensures a minimum required quality of education. You must complete your education at one of these schools to gain your licensure. The APTA does provide a directory of accredited programs that you can review, helping to ensure that you pick a school that will prove useful to your long term PT education and career.
Choosing Local or Distant Programs
If you are looking to move away from home to experience a bit more of the world, then you may want to consider going to a private or out of state college. They are significantly more expensive than going to public in-state schools, costing two to three times the amount in tuition fees. But since all accredited schools meet minimum standards of training, you can be sure that you will be getting a good education even by choosing the cheaper PT option. Your physical therapy training will be top notch pretty much everywhere.
Choosing your college can be difficult. But once you find the one that you like the best, you can be sure that you are going to get a quality education as long as it is an accredited institution. This is the most important factor, and all PT education programs should be eliminated from the list if they aren’t accredited.