Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Allendale NJ

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Allendale 07401

Allendale NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Allendale NJ is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Allendale NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Allendale NJ 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Allendale NJ medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Allendale NJ 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 alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Allendale NJ area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

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. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Allendale NJ While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Allendale NJ home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, 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 Allendale NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain 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 imperative that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Allendale NJ physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Allendale NJ area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

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

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Allendale NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Allendale health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Allendale NJ home. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Allendale NJ area, confirm that they are available. 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, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Allendale New Jersey?

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

Allendale, New Jersey

Allendale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 6,505,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 194 (-2.9%) from the 6,699 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 799 (+13.5%) from the 5,900 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

Allendale was formed on November 8, 1894, from portions of Franklin Township (remainder now Wyckoff), Hohokus Township (remainder now Mahwah) and Orvil Township (remainder now Waldwick).[20][21] The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.[22] The borough was named for the William C. Allen, a surveyor for the Erie Railroad.[23]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.119 square miles (8.076 km2), including 3.097 square miles (8.020 km2) of land and 0.022 square miles (0.056 km2) of water (0.69%).[1][2]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Allendale NJ

Choosing the ideal physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Allendale NJ.