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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Haworth 07641

Haworth NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Haworth NJ is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to make certain they will supply 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 closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Haworth NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Haworth NJ hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. 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 suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Haworth NJ medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Haworth NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Haworth NJ area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced 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 in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Haworth NJ Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Haworth NJ home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Haworth NJ area and throughout New Jersey, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to make sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 choose an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Haworth NJ physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After 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 Haworth NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have relationships with Haworth NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical training 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 develop professional connections in the Haworth health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Haworth NJ home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Haworth NJ area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Haworth New Jersey?

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

Haworth, New Jersey

Haworth (pronounced HAH-worth[21]) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 3,382,[10][11][12] reflecting a decline of 8 (-0.2%) from the 3,390 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 6 (+0.2%) from the 3,384 counted in the 1990 Census.[22]

Haworth was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1904, from portions of both Dumont borough and Harrington Township.[23][24] The borough was named for the historic village of Haworth, England.[25]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.356 square miles (6.102 km2), including 1.945 square miles (5.037 km2) of land and 0.411 square miles (1.065 km2) of water (17.45%).[1][2]

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Haworth NJ

Choosing the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Haworth NJ.