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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Hooksett 03106

Hooksett NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Hooksett NH is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Hooksett NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Hooksett NH 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Hooksett NH medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite 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

Hooksett NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Hooksett NH area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be 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 programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hooksett NH Although not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, 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 near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hooksett NH home. 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 alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Hooksett NH area and throughout New Hampshire, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate 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 school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 as well. Call several Hooksett NH physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the New Hampshire Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hooksett NH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for New Hampshire or the state where you will be working. In every 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 vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Hooksett NH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive hands on training 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 graduates and students form professional connections in the Hooksett healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Hooksett NH home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hooksett NH area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol 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 Hooksett New Hampshire?

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

Hooksett, New Hampshire

Hooksett is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 13,451 at the 2010 census.[1] The town is located between Manchester, the state's largest city, and Concord, the state capital. A prominent landmark is Robie's Country Store, a National Historic Landmark and a frequent stop for presidential candidates during the New Hampshire primary.[2]

The central village in town, where 4,147 people resided at the 2010 census,[1] is defined as the Hooksett census-designated place and is located at a bridge crossing of the Merrimack River. The town also contains the census-designated place of South Hooksett.

Hooksett was incorporated in 1822. First known as "Chester Woods" and "Rowe's Corner", this town was called "Hooksett" for nearly fifty years before being incorporated. The name may have come from a hook-shaped island in the Merrimack or from early fishermen, who called the area "Hookline Falls". Rocky ledges flank the Merrimack River, and there were several cross-river ferries located here, as well as lumber mills and a brick-making establishment powered by the falls. In 1794, the lottery-funded Hooksett Canal became part of the transportation facilities of the Amoskeag cotton mills in Manchester. The first census, taken in 1830, reported 880 residents.[citation needed]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Hooksett NH

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hooksett NH.