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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Rockland 02370

Rockland MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Rockland MA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Rockland MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Rockland MA private practices, hospitals, 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Rockland MA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite 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 Therapist Degree Options

Rockland MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Rockland MA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to 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 intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Rockland MA While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Rockland MA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures 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 option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Rockland MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Rockland MA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with 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 Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Rockland MA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have relationships with Rockland MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain 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 can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Rockland health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small 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 classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Rockland MA home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of help is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Rockland MA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Rockland Massachusetts?

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

Rockland, Massachusetts

Rockland was settled by European settlers, as a northeastern region of neighboring Abington in 1673. The town separated and incorporated as Rockland on March 9, 1874. It is named for the town's rocky nature, which was better suited for mills and industry than for farming. During King Philip's War, the town was the site of an encampment during his raids on the town of Scituate.[3]

During the twentieth century, the town was the site of a portion of the landing strips of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. The airstrip closed in 1996 as a part of the fourth round of closures under the Base Realignment and Closure Act.[citation needed]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 km2), of which 10.0 square miles (26 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.79%, is water. Rockland ranks 307th out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth. Rockland is bordered by Weymouth to the northwest, Hingham to the northeast, Norwell to the northeast, Hanover to the east, Hanson to the south, Whitman to the southwest, and Abington to the west. Rockland is 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Brockton and 22 miles (35 km) south of Boston.[citation needed]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Rockland MA

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following 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 practicing physical therapist in Rockland MA.