Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - New Hampton NH

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near New Hampton 03256

New Hampton NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near New Hampton NH is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of 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 proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

New Hampton NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as New Hampton NH private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other New Hampton NH health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

New Hampton NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the New Hampton NH area:

Associate Degrees educate 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 equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in New Hampton NH Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s New Hampton NH home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the New Hampton NH area and across New Hampshire, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several New Hampton NH physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. 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 schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the New Hampton NH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New Hampshire or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with New Hampton NH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the New Hampton healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their New Hampton NH residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the New Hampton NH area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near New Hampton New Hampshire?

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

Hampton, New Hampshire

Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,976 at the 2010 census.[1][2] Located beside the Atlantic Ocean, Hampton is home to Hampton Beach, a summer tourist destination.

The densely populated central part of the town, where 9,656 people resided at the 2010 census,[1] is defined as the Hampton census-designated place (CDP) and is centered on the intersection of U.S. 1 and NH 27.

First called the "Plantation of Winnacunnet", Hampton was one of four original New Hampshire townships chartered by the General Court of Massachusetts, which then held authority over the colony. Winnacunnet is an Algonquian Abenaki word meaning "pleasant pines" and is the name of the town's high school, serving students from Hampton and the surrounding towns of Seabrook, North Hampton, and Hampton Falls.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist College near New Hampton NH

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in New Hampton NH.