Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Brewster MA

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Brewster 02631

Brewster MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Brewster MA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest 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 what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Brewster MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Brewster MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Brewster MA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting 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 Offered

Brewster MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Brewster MA 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 earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified 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 usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Brewster MA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Brewster MA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding several of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Brewster MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several 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 rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Brewster MA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once 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 Brewster MA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Brewster MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Brewster healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one 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 prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Brewster MA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally 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 consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can provide 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 Brewster MA area, confirm 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 need to enroll in. Also, learn 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 Brewster Massachusetts?

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

Brewster, Massachusetts

Brewster was first settled in 1656 as a northeastern parish of the town of Harwich. The town separated from Harwich as the northern, more wealthy parish in 1693, and was officially incorporated as its own town in 1803 when the less wealthy citizens of Harwich were upset that the town's institutions were all on Brewster's main street (now Route 6A), including the town hall and churches. Brewster was named in honor of Elder William Brewster, the first religious leader of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony. The town's history grew around Stony Brook, where the first water-powered grist and woolen mill in the country was founded in the late 17th century. There were many rich sea captains in the town, who built many of the mansions and stately homes which now constitute the town's inns and bed-and-breakfasts.[2] Most notable of these are the Crosby Mansion on Crosby Lane by Crosby Beach, which is currently[when?] undergoing renovations to allow for more weddings and other functions, and the Captain Freeman Inn on Breakwater Road.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.4 square miles (65.9 km2), of which 22.9 square miles (59.3 km2) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.6 km2), or 10.07%, is water.[1]

Brewster is bordered on the north by Cape Cod Bay, on the west by Dennis, on the south by Harwich, and on the east by Orleans. The town is usually separated into two villages, West and East Brewster, both of which comprise the Brewster census-designated place. Brewster is 31 miles (50 km) south of Provincetown, 14 miles (23 km) east of Barnstable, 31 miles (50 km) east of the Sagamore Bridge, and 85 miles (137 km) southeast of Boston.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Brewster MA

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish 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 field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Brewster MA.