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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Dresden 04342

Dresden ME physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Dresden ME is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Dresden ME physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Dresden ME 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 previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Dresden ME medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of 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 kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Dresden ME 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 choices, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Dresden ME area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and usually 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Dresden ME Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Dresden ME home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Dresden ME area and across Maine, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received 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 choose an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Dresden ME physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Dresden ME area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Maine 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 school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have relationships with Dresden ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Dresden medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Dresden ME home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Dresden ME area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option 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 might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Dresden Maine?

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

Bombing of Dresden in World War II

The bombing of Dresden was a British/American aerial bombing attack on the city of Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony, during World War II in the European Theatre. In four raids between 13 and 15 February 1945, 722 heavy bombers of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and 527 of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city.[1] The bombing and the resulting firestorm destroyed over 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) of the city centre.[2] An estimated 22,700[3] to 25,000[4] people were killed, although larger casualty figures have been claimed. Three more USAAF air raids followed, two occurring on 2 March aimed at the city's railway marshalling yard and one smaller raid on 17 April aimed at industrial areas.

Immediate German propaganda claims following the attacks and post-war discussions[5] on whether the attacks were justified have led to the bombing becoming one of the moral causes célèbres of the war.[6] A 1953 United States Air Force report defended the operation as the justified bombing of a strategic target, which they noted was a major rail transport and communication centre, housing 110 factories and 50,000 workers in support of the German war effort.[7] Several researchers claim not all of the communications infrastructure, such as the bridges, were targeted, nor were the extensive industrial areas outside the city centre.[8] Critics of the bombing have claimed that Dresden was a cultural landmark of little or no strategic significance, and that the attacks were indiscriminate area bombing and not proportionate to the military gains.[9][10][11] Some in the German far-right refer to the bombing as a mass murder calling it "Dresden's Holocaust of bombs".[12][13] According to other critics, given the high number of civilian casualties and the relatively few strategic targets, Dresden's destruction was unjustifiable and should be called a war crime. They claim the city could have been spared, like Rome, Paris, and Kyoto, though the British and the American militaries defended the bombing as necessary.[14]

Large variations in the claimed death toll have fuelled the controversy. In March 1945, the German government ordered its press to publish a falsified casualty figure of 200,000 for the Dresden raids, and death toll estimates as high as 500,000 have been given.[15][16][17] The city authorities at the time estimated up to 25,000 victims, a figure that subsequent investigations supported, including a 2010 study commissioned by the city council.[18]

Pick the Best Physical Therapy College near Dresden ME

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Dresden ME.