Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clinton CT

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Clinton 06413

Clinton CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Clinton CT is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Clinton CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Clinton CT private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring 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 affiliation with other Clinton CT health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Clinton CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Clinton CT area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clinton CT While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Clinton CT residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Clinton CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you enroll in 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 therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’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 agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Clinton CT physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest 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 Clinton CT area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Connecticut or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Clinton CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive 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 assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Clinton healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Clinton CT home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Clinton CT area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Clinton Connecticut?

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

Clinton, Connecticut

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.0 square miles (49 km2), of which 16.3 square miles (42 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (14.50%) is water. The CDP corresponding to the town center has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2), of which 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) is water.

Clinton is bordered by the towns of Madison on the west, Westbrook on the east, and Killingworth on the north. Clinton is directly from Long Island Sound. The town has one town beach named Clinton Beach. Many fishers come to Clinton to catch bluefish. The annual Bluefish Festival is held in Clinton in summer.

Other minor communities and geographic features in Clinton are Beach Park, Boulder Lake, Clinton Beach, Cow Hill, Duck Hole, Grove Beach, Grove Beach Manor, Harbor View, Kelseytown, Lochwood, Mill District, Old Harbor Village, Ridgewood, Riverside, and Silver Bluff.

Select the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Clinton CT

Choosing the right physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Clinton CT.