Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clinton ME

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Clinton 04927

Clinton ME physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Clinton ME is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Clinton ME physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Clinton ME hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Clinton ME medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Clinton ME physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Clinton ME area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and commonly include 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clinton ME Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Clinton ME home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Clinton ME area and across Maine, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical 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 selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received 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 select an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify 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 required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of 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. Contact some Clinton ME physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Clinton ME area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Maine or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have associations with Clinton ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Clinton medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Clinton ME residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer 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 must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Clinton ME area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Clinton Maine?

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

Clinton, Maine

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.79 square miles (116.01 km2), of which 43.87 square miles (113.62 km2) is land and 0.92 square miles (2.38 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 3,486 people, 1,412 households, and 962 families residing in the town. The population density was 79.5 inhabitants per square mile (30.7/km2). There were 1,547 housing units at an average density of 35.3 per square mile (13.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.1% White, 0.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 1,412 households of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.9% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.88.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Clinton ME

Selecting the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college 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 appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Clinton ME.