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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Worcester 01601

Worcester MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Worcester MA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary education and training. 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 prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Worcester MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Worcester MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Worcester MA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Worcester MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Worcester MA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 USA. A number of practicing 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 implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Worcester MA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of 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 school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Worcester MA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Worcester MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously stated, 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Worcester MA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It might 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 College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Worcester MA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Worcester MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Worcester medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Worcester MA home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may 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 to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Worcester MA area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn 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 Worcester Massachusetts?

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

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester (/ˈwʊstər/ ( listen) WUUS-tər)[3] is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population was 181,045,[4] making it the second most populous city in New England after Boston.[5] Worcester is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston, 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield and 40 miles (64 km) north of Providence. Due to its location in Central Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth", thus, a heart is the official symbol of the city. However, the heart symbol may also have its provenance in lore that the Valentine's Day card, although not invented in the city, was mass-produced and popularized by Esther Howland who resided in Worcester.[6]

Worcester was considered its own distinct region apart from Boston until the 1970s. Since then, Boston's suburbs have been moving out further westward, especially after the construction of Interstate 495 and Interstate 290. The Worcester region now marks the western periphery of the Boston-Worcester-Providence (MA-RI-NH) U.S. Census Combined Statistical Area (CSA), or Greater Boston. The city features many examples of Victorian-era mill architecture. It is home of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The area was first inhabited by members of the Nipmuc tribe. The native people called the region Quinsigamond and built a settlement on Pakachoag Hill in Auburn.[7] In 1673 English settlers John Eliot and Daniel Gookin led an expedition to Quinsigamond to establish a new Christian Indian "praying town" and identify a new location for an English settlement. On July 13, 1674, Gookin obtained a deed to eight square miles of land in Quinsigamond from the Nipmuc people and English traders and settlers began to inhabit the region.[8]

Select the Best Physical Therapist School near Worcester MA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Worcester MA.