Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Solon ME

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Solon 04979

Solon ME physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapy degree near Solon ME is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Solon ME physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Solon ME private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Solon ME health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Solon ME physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Solon ME area:

  • Associate Degrees educate 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Solon MEAlthough not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Solon ME home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Solon ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited?  Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Solon ME physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college 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 School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Solon ME area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have partnerships with Solon ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Solon medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Solon ME residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school 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 often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Solon ME area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Solon Maine?

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

Solon

Solon (Greek: Σόλων Sólōn [só.lɔːn]; c. 638 – c. 558 BC) was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in archaic Athens.[1] His reforms failed in the short term, yet he is often credited with having laid the foundations for Athenian democracy.[2][3][4] He wrote poetry for pleasure, as patriotic propaganda and in defence of his constitutional reforms.

Modern knowledge of Solon is limited by the fact that his works only survive in fragments and appear to feature interpolations by later authors and by the general paucity of documentary and archaeological evidence covering Athens in the early 6th century BC.[5] Ancient authors such as Herodotus and Plutarch are the main source of information, yet they wrote about Solon long after his death, at a time when history was by no means an academic discipline. 4th-century orators, such as Aeschines, tended to attribute to Solon all the laws of their own, much later times.[1][6]

Solon was born in Athens around 638 B.C.[7] His family was distinguished in Attica as they belonged to a noble or Eupatrid clan, although they possessed only moderate wealth.[8] Solon's father was probably Execestides. If so, Solon's lineage could be traced back to Codrus, the last King of Athens.[9] According to Diogenes Laërtius, he had a brother named Dropides who was an ancestor (six generations removed) of Plato.[10] According to Plutarch, Solon was related to the tyrant Peisistratos, for their mothers were cousins.[11] Solon was eventually drawn into the unaristocratic pursuit of commerce.[12]

Choose the Best Physical Therapy College near Solon ME

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Solon ME.

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