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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Program near Northvale 07647

Northvale NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Northvale NJ is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Northvale NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Northvale NJ private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier 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 address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Northvale NJ health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Northvale NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Northvale NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to be 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 be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Northvale NJ While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Northvale NJ residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Northvale NJ area and throughout New Jersey, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 select an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Northvale NJ physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations 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 schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Northvale NJ area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing. In every 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 differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Northvale NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get practical 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 students and graduates establish professional connections in the Northvale health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Northvale NJ home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Northvale NJ area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Northvale New Jersey?

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

Northvale, New Jersey

Northvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,640,[8][9][10] reflecting an increase of 180 (+4.0%) from the 4,460 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 103 (-2.3%) from the 4,563 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

The borough of Northvale was formed on March 15, 1916, from the remaining portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1916. With the creation of Northvale, Harrington Township was dissolved. Portions of Northvale were transferred to create the borough of Rockleigh, as of March 13, 1923.[20] The borough's name derives from its location and topography.[21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.298 square miles (3.362 km2), including 1.295 square miles (3.355 km2) of land and 0.003 square miles (0.007 km2) of water (0.20%).[1][2]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Northvale NJ

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish 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 appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Northvale NJ.