Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bow NH

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Bow 03304

Bow NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Bow NH is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. 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 need to get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones 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 select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Bow NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Bow NH private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Bow NH medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee 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 field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Bow NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Bow NH area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bow NH Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bow NH home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Bow NH area and across New Hampshire, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’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 agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Bow NH physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school options. It may also be a good idea to check with the New Hampshire Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Bow NH area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New Hampshire or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Bow NH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Bow medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. 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 several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Bow NH residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Bow NH 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 need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bow New Hampshire?

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

Bow, New Hampshire

The town was granted by the authorities of New Hampshire, to Jonathan Wiggin and others, in 1727, and was originally 9 miles (14 km) square, and covered nearly all the territory granted to Ebenezer Eastman and others, by the authorities of Massachusetts, two years previous, under the name of Pennacook (now Concord). Massachusetts claimed to hold authority over a large portion of the territory of New Hampshire for many years, till the final boundary line was established, in 1741, giving New Hampshire more territory than it had ever claimed. These complicated lines of the two towns coming from two different authorities, were not settled decisively till after the final separation of the two colonial provinces. The government of New Hampshire gave Bow the preference in its grant of 1727, and did not recognize the title of the Pennacook grantees, and in the bill giving a charter for the parish of Concord, it was worded as "taking a part of the town of Bow," etc. Although Concord was granted and surveyed before Bow, its final organization was 38 years after it. Bow gained a victory over Concord in its original title; still it was obliged to yield over two-thirds of its territory to Concord, Pembroke and Hopkinton, establishing their final boundary lines at different times, from 1759 to 1765.[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.4 square miles (73.6 km2), of which 28.0 sq mi (72.6 km2) is land and 0.39 sq mi (1.0 km2) is water, comprising 1.38% of the town.[1] The highest point in Bow is Picked Hill, at 915 feet (279 m) above sea level, in the southern part of town. Nearby Wood Hill and Brown Hill also top 900 feet (270 m). Bow lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.[4]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 7,138 people, 2,304 households, and 2,045 families residing in the town. The population density was 254.3 people per square mile (98.2/km²). There were 2,330 housing units at an average density of 83.0 per square mile (32.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.79% White, 0.13% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Bow NH

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional 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 accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Bow NH.