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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy College near Waterford 04088

Waterford ME physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Waterford ME is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn 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 supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. 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’s Job Description?

Waterford ME physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Waterford 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 mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Waterford ME health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather 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 Therapy Degrees Available

Waterford ME physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Waterford 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 equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Waterford ME Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to 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 college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Waterford ME home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses 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 option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, 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 spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Waterford ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools 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 national or a regional agency. As previously 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 choose an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality 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 essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Waterford ME physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Waterford 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 perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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 therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Waterford ME hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships 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 an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Waterford medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Waterford ME residence. Students 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 bear in mind is that if you decide 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 often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Waterford ME area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Waterford Maine?

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

Waterford, Maine

The township was granted on February 24, 1774 by the Massachusetts General Court to Captain Andrew Gardner and his company of soldiers for services under Sir William Phipps during the 1690 expedition against Canada. It replaced a 1735 grant called Toddstown or Township No. 6 (now Henniker, New Hampshire), which was ruled invalid when the state line was redrawn between Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 1741.[4]

The land was surveyed in 1774; in spring of 1775, David McWain of Bolton, Massachusetts arrived with his dog at a lot he bought for $40. He cleared land and built a log cabin, returning to Bolton for two winters until he settled permanently at Waterford in spring of 1777. McWain preferred solitude, and was deeply annoyed when he first saw smoke rising about 12 miles (19 km) away at Paris Hill. "Humph," he said, "I would like to know who is settling over there right under my nose!" Other grantees arrived nevertheless, most from the Massachusetts towns of Bolton, Harvard, Stow, Northborough and Rowley. Indeed, the northwestern part of the plantation was once known as Rowley after the inhabitants' former hometown.[5]

On March 2, 1797, Waterford was incorporated, with land annexed from Albany in 1811. The surface of the town is uneven and somewhat mountainous. It was well-suited for pasturage and orchards, and agriculture became a principal occupation. Sawmills were built at streams to manufacture the region's abundant timber into lumber. Wood products included window sashes, barrel staves, salt boxes and buckets. There was also a gristmill, carriage factory and tannery. Today, Waterford Flat is a resort area, and home to The Lake House, a 1797 inn set among antique buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Waterford ME

Choosing the best physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Waterford ME.