Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Storrs Mansfield CT

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Storrs Mansfield 06268

Storrs Mansfield CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Storrs Mansfield CT is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about 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’s Job Description?

Storrs Mansfield CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Storrs Mansfield CT hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Storrs Mansfield CT medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Storrs Mansfield CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Storrs Mansfield CT area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
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 qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Storrs Mansfield CT While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined 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 program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Storrs Mansfield CT residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, 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 Storrs Mansfield CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make certain that you choose the program that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Storrs Mansfield CT physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Storrs Mansfield CT area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Storrs Mansfield CT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way 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 supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Storrs Mansfield healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Storrs Mansfield CT home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble 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 choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally 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 type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide 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 College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Storrs Mansfield CT area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Storrs Mansfield Connecticut?

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

Storrs, Connecticut

Storrs is a village[1] and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Mansfield within eastern Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 15,344 at the 2010 census. It is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of the main campus of the University of Connecticut and the associated Connecticut Repertory Theatre.

Storrs was named after Charles and Augustus Storrs, two brothers who founded the University of Connecticut (originally called the Storrs Agricultural College) by giving the land (170 acres (0.69 km2)) and $6,000 in 1881[2]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 10,996 people, 1,630 households, and 645 families residing in the community. The population density was 748.8/km² (1,939.3/mi²). There were 1,701 housing units at an average density of 115.8/km² (300.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the community was 81.10% White, 5.67% African American, 0.09% Native American, 9.13% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.70% from other races, and 2.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.40% of the population.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Storrs Mansfield CT

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Storrs Mansfield CT.