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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Training Program near Roxbury 06783

Roxbury CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Roxbury CT is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Roxbury CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Roxbury CT hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Roxbury CT health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Roxbury CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Roxbury CT area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Roxbury CT Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Roxbury CT home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Roxbury CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 enroll in an online program, 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 just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting 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. Get in touch with some Roxbury CT physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Roxbury CT area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Roxbury CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Roxbury health care community and assist 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 class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want 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 pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Roxbury CT home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble 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 decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Roxbury CT area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Roxbury Connecticut?

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

Roxbury, Connecticut

Roxbury, whose Indian name was "Shepaug", a Mahican name signifiying "rocky water", was settled about the year 1713. Originally a part of Woodbury, the town was incorporated in October 1796. Roxbury is either descriptively named, or the name is a transfer from Roxbury, Massachusetts.[1]

Mine Hill and its minerals have been associated with Roxbury since the middle of the 18th century. A silver mine was opened here and was later found to contain spathic iron, specially adapted to steel making and a small smelting furnace was built. The abundance of granite found in many of Mine Hill's quarries provided the building material for the ore roaster and blast furnace, as well as for such world wonders as the Brooklyn Bridge and Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68 km2), of which, 26.2 square miles (68 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.23%) is water.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Roxbury CT

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Roxbury CT.