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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Limington 04049

Limington ME physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Limington ME is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Limington ME physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Limington 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Limington ME health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Limington ME physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Limington ME area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered 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 part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the USA. Some practicing 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 implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Limington ME Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Limington ME residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Limington ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you select the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Limington ME physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Limington ME area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Limington ME hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Limington health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student 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 converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Limington ME home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps 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 frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Limington ME area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Limington Maine?

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

Limington, Maine

Limington is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,713 at the 2010 census. Limington is a tourist destination with historic architecture. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

In 1668, Francis Small traded goods with the Newichewannock tribe of this area. Their Chief Wesumbe, also known as Captain Sunday, was friendly with Small and warned him of a plot against his life. A group of renegade tribesmen planned to murder Small rather than pay him the furs they owed him. Small escaped after watching his trading post in what is now Cornish burn to the ground. The chief made up for the loss by selling Small all the lands bounded by the Great and Little Ossipee Rivers, the Saco River and the New Hampshire border. Known as the Ossipee Tract, it comprised the present-day towns of Limington, Limerick, Cornish (formerly Francisborough), Newfield, Parsonsfield and Shapleigh (which then included Acton).[4]

First called Little Ossipee Plantation (after Ossapee, its original Abenaki name), it was settled by Deacon Amos Chase, who removed here and built a mill in 1773 at the mouth of the Little Ossipee River. Ezra Davis and Jonathan Boothby followed him in 1774, and John McArthur and Joshua Small in 1775. Little Ossipee Plantation was incorporated on February 9, 1792 as the town of Limington. It was named after Limington in Somerset, England, the home county of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Lord Proprietor of Maine. As the surface of the land was rocky and broken, in 1798 nearly 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) of land were annexed from Little Falls Plantation (Hollis). In 1870, about 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) of land were ceded to Limerick.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Limington ME

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Limington ME.