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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Harrisonville 08039

Harrisonville NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Harrisonville NJ is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Harrisonville NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Harrisonville NJ private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Harrisonville NJ health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Harrisonville NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Harrisonville NJ area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and commonly include 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 also must 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Harrisonville NJ While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure 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 in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Harrisonville NJ home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Harrisonville NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you select the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 enroll in an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Harrisonville NJ physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to contact the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Harrisonville NJ area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have relationships with Harrisonville NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Harrisonville healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Harrisonville NJ home. 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 local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy 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 may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Harrisonville NJ area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Harrisonville New Jersey?

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

South Harrison Township, New Jersey

South Harrison Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 3,162,[8][9][10] reflecting an increase of 745 (+30.8%) from the 2,417 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 498 (+26.0%) from the 1,919 counted in the 1990 Census.[18]

South Harrison was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1883, from portions of Harrison Township. Elk Township was formed from portions of South Harrison Township on April 17, 1891.[19] It is a dry town, where alcohol cannot be sold, though alcohol is available at the winery in the township.[20][21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 15.731 square miles (40.744 km2), including 15.677 square miles (40.604 km2) of land and 0.054 square miles (0.140 km2) of water (0.34%).[1][2]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Harrisonville NJ

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Harrisonville NJ.