Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Kendall Park NJ

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Kendall Park 08824

Kendall Park NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Kendall Park NJ is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. 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?

Kendall Park NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Kendall Park NJ private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Kendall Park NJ health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Kendall Park NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Kendall Park NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and often 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kendall Park NJ Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kendall Park NJ home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Kendall Park NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs 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 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, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Kendall Park NJ physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It might also be a good idea to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Kendall Park 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 confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Kendall Park NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Kendall Park health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably 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 teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Kendall Park 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 area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Kendall Park NJ area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative 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 obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kendall Park New Jersey?

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

Kendall Park, New Jersey

Kendall Park is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within South Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States.[7][8][9] As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 9,339.[3] Kendall Park has a post office with its own ZIP code (08824) that encompasses the entire CDP, as well as some surrounding areas.[4]

Kendall Park gets its name from its builder, Herbert Kendall, who built a planned community of 1,500 houses between 1956 and 1961.[10] Kendall's development was built in three stages: the initial development in 1956-7 (between New Road and Sand Hill Road), the Constable development in 1959 (south of New Road), followed by the Greenbrook development (north of Sand Hill Road) in 1961. The initial development offered two styles of 3-bedroom, 1½ bath ranch-style homes, mostly built on 1/3 acre lots, typically selling for around $16,000 in 1957. The subsequent sections offered a wider selection of styles, including 4-bedroom ranches and 4-bedroom colonial-style homes. The development of Kendall Park doubled the population of South Brunswick Township and marked the beginning of its transformation from a rural farming area to a suburban bedroom community. Several other nearby tracts developed after Kendall's original development are also part of the CDP.

The Hoagland-Clark House, which dates back to the late 18th century, is a remnant of the earlier era, and was identified by Preservation New Jersey as one of the most vulnerable landmarks in New Jersey.[11]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Kendall Park NJ

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Kendall Park NJ.