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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Program near Southington 06489

Southington CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Southington CT is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Southington CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Southington CT hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Southington CT medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Southington CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Southington CT area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually include 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Southington CT While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Southington CT residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Southington CT area and throughout Connecticut, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Southington CT physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It may also be prudent to contact the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Southington CT area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Connecticut or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Southington CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Southington health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear 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 therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student 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 a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Southington CT residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Southington CT area, make certain 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 have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Southington Connecticut?

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

Southington, Connecticut

Southington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 43,069.[1] Southington contains the villages of Marion, Milldale, and Plantsville.

Southington is situated about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Hartford, about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of New York City, 105 miles (169 km) southwest of Boston and 77 miles (124 km) west of Providence. It includes the areas of Plantsville, Marion and Milldale, each of which has its own post office and distinct architecture. The town rests in a valley of two mountains on its east and west sides. The town is located along exits 28 through 32 of Interstate 84, exit 4 of Interstate 691, and bisected by Connecticut Route 10. Southington has the nickname of "The Apple Valley", due to the many orchards that still dot its landscape. The Quinnipiac River flows through the town. It is home to Mount Southington ski area, which has drawn visitors since the 1960s.

Southington is located at geographical coordinates 41° 35′ 48" North, 72° 52′ 40" West (41.596588, -72.87767). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.6 square miles (94.9 km2), of which 35.9 square miles (93.0 km2) are land and 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), or 1.99%, is water.[1]

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Southington CT

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Southington CT.