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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Tolland 06084

Tolland CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Tolland CT is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Tolland CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Tolland CT private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Tolland CT medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Tolland CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students 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 focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Tolland CT area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Tolland CT While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Tolland CT home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Tolland CT area and throughout Connecticut, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent 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 imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Tolland CT physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. 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 relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Tolland CT area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have associations with Tolland CT clinics or hospitals 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 the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Tolland medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering 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 final 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 tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Tolland CT home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously 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 program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is offered. 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 college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Tolland 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 courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Tolland Connecticut?

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

Tolland County, Connecticut

Tolland County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the population was 152,691.[1] Tolland County is incorporated into thirteen towns and was originally formed on 13 October 1785 from portions of eastern Hartford County, Connecticut and western Windham County, Connecticut.

Counties in Connecticut have no governmental function: all legal power is vested in the state, city, and town governments. The office of High Sheriff in Connecticut counties was officially abolished by ballot in 2000, and corrections and court service were transferred to the state marshals. Tolland County has the same boundaries as the Tolland Judicial District.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 417 square miles (1,080 km2), of which 410 square miles (1,100 km2) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km2) (1.6%) is water.[2] It is the second-smallest county in Connecticut by land area and smallest by total area.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Tolland CT

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Tolland CT.