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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Chicopee 01013

Chicopee MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Chicopee MA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable 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 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?

Chicopee MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Chicopee MA 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 touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Chicopee MA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Chicopee MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Chicopee MA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want 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 seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. 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 Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Chicopee MA While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Chicopee MA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. 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 motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Chicopee MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Chicopee MA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, 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 Chicopee MA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Massachusetts or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Chicopee MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means 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 assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Chicopee medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical 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 an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Chicopee MA home. Students who have decided 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. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Chicopee MA area, check that they are offered. 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, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Chicopee Massachusetts?

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

Chicopee, Massachusetts

Chicopee (/ˈtʃɪkəpi/ CHIK-ə-pee) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in Western Massachusetts after Springfield. The current mayor is Richard Kos.

Chicopee uses the nickname "Crossroads of New England" as part of a business-development marketing campaign, a nickname also shared by West Springfield. The name reflects the city's convenient location amongst a number of metropolitan areas and its transportation network. Four highways run through its boundaries: I-90, I-91, I-291, and I-391. State routes such as Route 33, 116, and 141, are major providers of regional linkage.

The city is named after the Chicopee River, whose mouth empties into the Connecticut River on in its boundaries. "Chicopee" is a Nipmuc word, probably from chekee ("violent") and pe ("waters") in most Algonquian dialects, with reference to rapids. The Nipmucs were the indigenous people of the lands that today make up the City of Chicopee, prior to the arrival of European colonists.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist School near Chicopee MA

Deciding on the right physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Chicopee MA.