Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Physical Therapy Degree Programs | Online and Distance Learning

Physical therapy degree programs are designed to train professionals who practice therapy to assist clients regain mobility and health.? This page has information on the profession of a physical therapist and on these degree programs.

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The Value Of A Physical Therapy Degree

With our population aging and living longer, being able to provide quality health care and therapies is becoming more and more important. ?Gone are the days of extended week long or more hospital stays for heart, knee, hip and other major surgeries. ?Now, a lot of these intensive procedures are performed in an outpatient setting and the patient and care giver rely on therapy for healing and recovery. ?Having a degree in physical therapy can greatly benefit the graduate as well as the employer doing the hiring.

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The work of a physical therapist

Once you have qualified with physical therapy degree, you can work in a few different settings, the first being an outpatient clinic. Here the patient will come with a physician order for a specified amount of treatments. ?The therapist will engage the care with the patient and set forth a treatment plan. ?Once the time period and patient progress has been achieved, the care is over. ?In this setting you work very closely with other therapists, gym equipment, lap or aquatic pools, and exercise tools to help the patient recover and mend.

Another setting is in the hospital. Patients need assistance in both the inpatient and outpatient care areas. You typically help them in their room, in hallways, or in a designated area within the hospital. This designated area within the hospital also may a centralized location to provide outpatient care to walk-in patients too.

In addition to these mentioned, there are many other career opportunities such as in the home health industry, outpatient care centers, and doctors offices.? There are also self employment opportunities and contracted agreements to consider as well.

Many physical therapists teach or instruct in academic areas and perform research studies.? For these positions in universities, a doctorate degree in physical therapy is normally required, though in some colleges a masters degree in physical therapy may be sufficient.

Rehabilitation and therapy is also provided in skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Many residents and patients in these areas may require more frequent care and intense plans. This is because of their age or the fact that they are recovering from a serious accident or injury.

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Education and training for physical therapy

The degrees required for physical therapy certification have increased through the years.? It is possible to obtain an associate degree in physical therapy and this may be sufficient for a position as a Physical Therapist Aide or even as a Physical Therapist Assistant, but to be a Licensed Physical Therapist (LPT) you really need a physical therapy bachelor degree.

Courses include biology, anatomy and physiology. Other classes like exercise physiology and neuroscience help the student to understand and learn about exercise and sports therapy. Others classes may include behavioral science courses, which really comes in to play when learning how to cope with a patient's rehab.

Other areas to look at if you want related degrees for physical therapy include: health and wellness, sports medicine, geriatrics, orthopedics, and pediatrics.

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Salary and future prospects

The salary for a physical therapist varies depending on where you are employed.? The highest level of income is typically achieved when you are self employed, contract your services and own your own clinics.? However, nursing care and home health facilities generally pay more in salary than the other settings.?

Depending in your qualifications, it is possible to enter the profession as a Physical Therapist Aide (salary between $18,000 and $31,000), or as a Physical Therapist Assistant or Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (LPTA) with a salary between $31,000 and $63,000.? As a Physical Therapist (PT) or Licensed Physical Therapist (LPT) you can earn $51,000 to $88,000.?

There are chances for further advancement too.? Many therapists start out providing direct care to the patients, then are given additional management responsibilities.? As this occurs, there is a high probability of moving into other supervisory or director level positions within the organization. As a Lead Physical Therapist or Senior Physical Therapist you would earn $60,000 to $97,000, and as a Physical Therapist Director you can expect to earn $64,000 to $107,000.

Regardless of the employment location or setting you desire, having good customer service skills and behavioral training is very important.? Managing patient needs who are not used to be being dependent on direct care can be difficult to deal with. Having the right attitude, understanding and compassion can go a long way in the effective and efficient recovery of the patient.? The education and training provided by a physical therapy degree is essential.

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For schools in Canada

Click here for a page that links to campus universities and campus colleges in Canada. It also provides some advice on choosing a suitable campus.

Click here and then enter your Canadian postal code to search for Canadian college or university campuses.

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More information about physical therapy degree programs

Use this link to find programs and schools near you.

Use the search facility on this site to find more physical therapy degree programs.

Remember to compare the admission requirements and course content of several schools before you choose a program.

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Campus Programs

For those students who feel that online learning and distance education is not for them, the web site also has a section on campus programs.?

You can also search for a physical therapy degree or a school near you.

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Source: http://onlineanddistancelearning.com/physical-therapy-degree

chelsea handler rachel ray ryan sheckler glen campbell j.k. rowling j.k. rowling hewitt

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