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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Seymour 06483

Seymour CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Seymour CT is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Seymour CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Seymour CT hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Seymour CT health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Seymour CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as 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 short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Seymour CT area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Seymour CT While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Seymour CT home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Seymour CT area and throughout Connecticut, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may 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 school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Seymour CT physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college selections. It may 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 Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Seymour CT area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Seymour CT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Seymour medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Seymour CT home. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry 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 college 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Seymour CT area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Seymour Connecticut?

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

Seymour, Connecticut

Seymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,540 at the 2010 census.[2] Seymour is surrounded by the communities of Ansonia and Derby to the southeast, Beacon Falls to the north, Woodbridge to the east, and Shelton and Oxford to the west.

The area that now encompasses the lands of the town was originally part of the town of Derby. The downtown portion of what is now Seymour was eventually called Humphreysville, named after Revolutionary War hero David Humphrey, aide-de-camp to General George Washington.[5] Humphreys had purchased a factory in what is the downtown portion of the town, which produced scythes and other tools as well as wool products from the sheep he had imported.

In 1836, Humphreysville was incorporated as a borough within the town of Derby by the General Assembly. Upon the creation of the town of Seymour in 1850, the borough government was dis-incorporated.[6]

Select the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Seymour CT

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Seymour CT.