How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Grand Isle 04746
Getting a physical therapy degree near Grand Isle ME is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. 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 is a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Grand Isle ME private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:
- Arthritis or Osteoporosis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Strokes.
- Heart attacks.
- Sports injuries.
- Burn injuries.
- Hip Replacement.
- Sciatica.
- Multiple Sclerosis.
Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Grand Isle ME health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.
Physical Therapist Degrees
There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Grand Isle ME area:
- Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
- Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.
Physical Therapy Programs Online
Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Grand Isle ME home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.
Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges
By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Grand Isle ME area and across Maine, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the school 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 thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.
Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 enroll in an online school, it may also earn 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. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.
What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Grand Isle ME physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school options. It may also be prudent to check with the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.
What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Grand Isle ME area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.
Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Maine or the state where you will be working. 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 school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.
Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Grand Isle ME hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Grand Isle health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Grand Isle ME residence. Students 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 importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.
Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Grand Isle ME area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Grand Isle Maine?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Grand Isle ME area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
Grand Isle, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.38 square miles (91.63 km2), of which 34.59 square miles (89.59 km2) is land and 0.79 square miles (2.05 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 467 people, 215 households, and 135 families residing in the town. The population density was 13.5 inhabitants per square mile (5.2/km2). There were 262 housing units at an average density of 7.6 per square mile (2.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.5% White, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, and 0.6% from two or more races.
There were 215 households of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.2% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.66.
Select the Best Physical Therapy School near Grand Isle ME
Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve 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 options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Grand Isle ME.
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