How to Select a Physical Therapist College near East Millinocket 04430
Getting a physical therapist degree near East Millinocket ME is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.
What is a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as East Millinocket ME private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:
- Osteoporosis and Arthritis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Strokes.
- Cardiac arrest.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Burn injuries.
- Knee Replacement.
- Sciatica.
- Multiple Sclerosis.
Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other East Millinocket ME health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.
Physical Therapist Degrees Offered
There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become 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 explanations of degrees that are available in the East Millinocket ME area:
- Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
- Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are required 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.
Physical Therapy Online Programs
Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s East Millinocket ME home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.
What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs
By now you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the East Millinocket ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.
Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.
What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few East Millinocket ME physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.
What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the East Millinocket ME area? If a program 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 program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.
Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Maine or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.
Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with East Millinocket ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the East Millinocket medical community and help with job placement once licensed.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average 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 an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their East Millinocket ME residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the East Millinocket ME area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify 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 because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near East Millinocket Maine?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the East Millinocket ME area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
East Millinocket, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.81 square miles (20.23 km2), of which, 7.10 square miles (18.39 km2) of it is land and 0.71 square miles (1.84 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,723 people, 768 households, and 492 families residing in the town. The population density was 242.7 inhabitants per square mile (93.7/km2). There were 871 housing units at an average density of 122.7 per square mile (47.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.2% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.
There were 768 households of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families+one Jack non Reacher .31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.73.
Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near East Millinocket ME
Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing 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 training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in East Millinocket ME.
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