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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Training Program near Bloomingdale 07403

Bloomingdale NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Bloomingdale NJ is an important 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 regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Bloomingdale NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Bloomingdale NJ private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Bloomingdale NJ health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Bloomingdale NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to become 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 explanations of degrees that are offered in the Bloomingdale NJ area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bloomingdale NJ Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bloomingdale NJ home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the type 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 so many PT schools within the Bloomingdale NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 enroll in an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Bloomingdale NJ physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact 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 Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction 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 Bloomingdale NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose 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 college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have relationships with Bloomingdale NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Bloomingdale healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Bloomingdale NJ residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern 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 college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Bloomingdale NJ area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bloomingdale New Jersey?

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

Bloomingdale, New Jersey

Bloomingdale is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 7,656,[10][11][11] reflecting an increase of 46 (+0.6%) from the 7,610 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 80 (+1.1%) from the 7,530 counted in the 1990 Census.[21]

Bloomingdale's Federal Hill was the site of the 1781 Pompton Mutiny, a winter revolt of Continental Army troops that was crushed by General Robert Howe on direct orders of General George Washington.[22]

Growth in Bloomingdale was driven by the development in the late 1860s of a rubber mill and other factories in neighboring Butler. The New Jersey Midland Railroad, later known as the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, laid tracks adjacent to the settlement, with a Bloomingdale station located in what today is Riverdale. The northern section of Riverdale and most of Butler were known as East Bloomingdale and West Bloomingdale respectively during most of the 19th century. Despite crossing a county border, they also shared a school district and residents considered the whole area as "Bloomingdale" until about 1881 when a Post Office named Butler was designated. This began a period of rivalry which caused a schism between the residents of Butler and Bloomingdale resulting in separate schools, churches and even town bands.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Bloomingdale NJ

Selecting the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Bloomingdale NJ.