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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Netcong 07857

Netcong NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Netcong NJ is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest 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 cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Netcong NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Netcong NJ hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, 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 create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Netcong NJ health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Netcong NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Netcong NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to be 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 equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 available in the USA. A number of 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 Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Netcong NJ While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, 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 close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Netcong NJ home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many 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 disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Netcong NJ area and throughout New Jersey, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, 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 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 enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Netcong NJ physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It may 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 two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Netcong NJ area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Netcong NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great 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 graduates and students form professional relationships in the Netcong medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering 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 final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Netcong NJ home. Those who have decided to attend classes online 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 keep in mind 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 usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Netcong NJ area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out 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 Netcong New Jersey?

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

Netcong, New Jersey

Netcong is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 3,232,[10][11][12] reflecting an increase of 652 (+25.3%) from the 2,580 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 731 (-22.1%) from the 3,311 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] Netcong lies on the shores of Lake Musconetcong.

Established as South Stanhope by workers employed as miners in Stanhope, the name "Netcong" was adopted for the community in 1889 when a post office used the name.[22] Netcong was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 23, 1894, from portions of both Mount Olive Township and Roxbury Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.[23][24]

Netcong received its name from the Musconetcong River, named by the Lenape Native Americans and meaning "grass creek", "swamp stream", "rapid stream" or "clear stream place".[25][26][27] Along with the river, the proximity of the old Morris and Sussex Turnpike, which passed through the region shortly after 1801, and the coming of the Morris Canal, in 1831, made the site a favorable one for development.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Netcong NJ

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate 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 critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Netcong NJ.