Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cape May Court House NJ

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Cape May Court House 08210

Cape May Court House NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Cape May Court House NJ is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we cover 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?

Cape May Court House NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Cape May Court House NJ private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Cape May Court House NJ health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Cape May Court House NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Cape May Court House NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cape May Court House NJ Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cape May Court House NJ home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Cape May Court House NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Cape May Court House NJ physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to contact the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cape May Court House NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Cape May Court House NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Cape May Court House healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student 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 talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Cape May Court House NJ residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something 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 often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college 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 ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Cape May Court House NJ area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cape May Court House New Jersey?

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

Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Cape May Court House is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middle Township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States.[7][8] It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 5,338.[3] It is the county seat of Cape May County[9] and serves as the principal administrative hub for the township.

Cape Regional Medical Center, known as Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital until April 2007, is the only hospital in Cape May County.[10] The Cape May County Park and Zoo is also located in Cape May Court House.[11]

Cape May Court House was laid out in 1703 by Jeremiah Hand and was first called Rumney Marsh and afterward Middleton before the adoption of its present name. The Court of Cape May County met in private homes and the First Baptist Church until 1764, when Daniel Hand set 1-acre (4,000 m2) of his own property to construct a court house and jail. It was replaced by the current structure in 1849.[12]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy School near Cape May Court House NJ

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important 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 be able 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 practicing physical therapist in Cape May Court House NJ.