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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Lebanon 04027

Lebanon ME physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Lebanon ME is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Lebanon ME physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Lebanon ME hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Lebanon ME medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Lebanon ME physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Lebanon ME area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lebanon ME While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature 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 nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lebanon ME residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Lebanon ME area and across Maine, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Lebanon ME physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lebanon ME area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Maine or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have associations with Lebanon ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way 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 graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Lebanon healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Lebanon ME home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lebanon ME area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask 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 Lebanon Maine?

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

Lebanon, Maine

Lebanon is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,031 at the 2010 census. Lebanon includes the villages of Center Lebanon, West Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon and East Lebanon. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Lebanon Airport is home to Skydive New England.

It was called Towwoh by the Newichawannock Abenaki tribe, whose main village was further down the Salmon Falls River. On April 20, 1733, the Massachusetts General Court granted Towwoh Plantation to 60 colonists, who first settled it in 1743. The township was incorporated on June 17, 1767, renamed Lebanon after the biblical land of Lebanon. It was Maine's 23rd town. Lebanon annexed unincorporated land in 1785, and some from Sanford in 1787. It swapped land with Shapleigh, giving some in 1793, then annexing some in 1825.[4]

Farmers found the surface of the town relatively level in the southeast, with extensive pine plains in the northwest. The chief crop would be hay. At the Salmon Falls River and the Little River were water power sites for mills. Lebanon had four sawmills, three gristmills, a shingle mill, a wool carding mill and a tannery. In 1850, Oren B. Cheney founded West Lebanon Academy. Beginning in the early 1870s, the Portland and Rochester Railroad ran the length of the town's southeast side, with the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad crossing for a short distance on the western side.[5]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Lebanon ME

Picking the best physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Lebanon ME.