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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Rehoboth 02769

Rehoboth MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Rehoboth MA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Rehoboth MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Rehoboth MA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Rehoboth MA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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 Degree Options

Rehoboth MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Rehoboth 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 a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding 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 Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rehoboth MA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Rehoboth MA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Rehoboth MA area and throughout Massachusetts, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Rehoboth MA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Rehoboth MA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Rehoboth MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Rehoboth 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 back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Rehoboth MA home. Individuals who have chosen 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 concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer 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 Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Rehoboth MA area, verify that they are offered. 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 enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rehoboth Massachusetts?

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

Rehoboth, Massachusetts

Rehoboth is a historic town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1643, Rehoboth is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts. The population was 11,608 at the 2010 census.[1] Rehoboth is a mostly rural, suburban community with many historic sites including 53 historic cemeteries.

Rehoboth was established in 1643, originally by Walter Palmer (born 1585) and William Sabin, it was incorporated in 1645, one of the earliest Massachusetts towns to incorporate.[2] The town is named for the Hebrew word for "enlargement," (Broad Places) signifying the space settlers enjoyed (God has given us room).[3]

Early Rehoboth, known as "Old Rehoboth," included all of what is now Seekonk, Massachusetts, and East Providence, Rhode Island, as well as parts of the nearby communities of Attleboro, North Attleborough, Swansea[4], and Somerset in Massachusetts, and Barrington, Bristol, Warren, Pawtucket, Cumberland, and Woonsocket in Rhode Island. The town was and still is a site of a crossroads which help to serve Taunton, Providence, Fall River and points to the north.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Rehoboth MA

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT 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 school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Rehoboth MA.