Online degrees are getting increasingly popular these days, as more and more people seek training to enter the workplace or get a better job. Many schools and colleges offer alternative online formats to their traditional campus based programs. Distance learning is particularly popular in the vocational training sector, for example, healthcare services. So can you train online to be a physical therapy assistant? And will an online course provide you with the kind of preparation you need to enter the profession?
Choices for Physical Therapy Assistant Training
Good career training is a sound investment in your professional future, and you owe it to yourself to make sure that you're choosing the best program for your needs as a student as well as for your eventual career. That's why it's so important to do your homework before enrolling in a program, investigating areas such as the school itself, the program, its curriculum and faculty, admission requirements, recent pass rate percentages of graduating students and other relevant information.
One extremely important aspect of your research is to check for each program's accreditation status. The only agency recognized at the moment by the US Department of Education to accredit physical therapy assisting programs is the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), which currently lists over 270 accredited programs in its website directory. These are organized by state, and it's a very good starting place to research programs.
There are several reasons why choosing an accredited program is important, and you can find out more about the process of peer review that is involved when you visit the CAPTE website. In order to practice as a physical therapy assistant in most states in the US, it is necessary to be credentialed -- i.e. licensed or certified -- by the jurisdiction in that state. Licensure normally depends on passing the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs, and only candidates who have graduated from an accredited degree program are eligible to apply.
Are There Any Accredited Online PTA Programs?
There are a few colleges that have an online component to their PTA training, for example, the lecture parts of the course. But every accredited PTA program is going to include lab classes and clinical experiences, which students must attend in person at a designated site. So it is possible to study parts of some courses online through a hybrid program format that integrates distance learning lectures with lab classes at weekends, for example. In this way, students who need to work part-time may be able to combine their study with their job. But even with these hybrid programs, the series of clinical practicum experiences must be carried out at the prescribed physical therapy location on a full-time schedule.
Before choosing a program with an online component, you need to decide whether you're the sort of student who would be able to benefit from learning away from the classroom. This kind of self organized study format can work very well for self-motivated students with independent study skills. But some students need the support comes from regular face-to-face contact with a teacher and classmates, and this type of person might benefit from a more traditional program model.
Interested to learn more about which schools offer online physical therapy assistant programs?
Get FREE information about training, salaries, and other aspects of a PTA career when you visit http://aphysicaltherapyassistant.com/
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