Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cherry Valley MA

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near Cherry Valley 01611

Cherry Valley MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Cherry Valley MA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Cherry Valley MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Cherry Valley MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Cherry Valley MA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Cherry Valley MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Cherry Valley MA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment 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 taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even 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 Cherry Valley MA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many 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 integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cherry Valley MA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Cherry Valley MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Cherry Valley MA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may 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 contact the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Cherry Valley MA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have partnerships with Cherry Valley MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Cherry Valley 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 the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one 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 want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Cherry Valley MA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally 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 decide 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 generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Cherry Valley MA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cherry Valley Massachusetts?

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

Leicester, Massachusetts

One of the early settlers in town was Dr. Samuel Green, who lived in a house at 2 Charlton St. in Greenville (which is now part of Rochdale, a village in Leicester). Dr. Green trained many other doctors in the early 1700s. This constituted the first medical school in Massachusetts. The Green family was involved in the creation of both Worcester's Green Hill Park and New York City's Central Park.

Although no significant battles of the American Revolution were fought in the area, Leicester citizens played a large role in the conflict's start. At a Committee of Safety meeting in 1774, Leicester's Colonel William Henshaw declared that "we must have companies of men ready to march upon a minute's notice"—coining the term "minutemen", a nickname for the militia members who fought in the revolution's first battles. Henshaw would later become an adjutant general to Artemas Ward, who was second in command to George Washington in the Continental Army.

Before the British troops marched to Lexington and Concord, looking for the ammunition and equipment held by the Americans, that ammunition and equipment was moved further West to four locations in the town of Leicester, including the house Dr. Green built at 2 Charlton Street. This information can be found in books held on reserve in the Leicester Public Library[citation needed]. When they heard that the British had attacked, Leicester's own Minutemen gathered on Leicester Common. They marched quickly to join with other Minutemen on April 19, 1775, to fight at the first conflict between Massachusetts residents and British troops, the Battles of Lexington and Concord. A few months later on June 17, 1775, a freed slave and Leicester resident named Peter Salem fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill, where he killed British Major John Pitcairn. Both men are memorialized in Leicester street names (Peter Salem Road, Pitcairn Avenue), as is Colonel Henshaw (Henshaw Street).

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Cherry Valley MA

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Cherry Valley MA.