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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Palisades Park 07650

Palisades Park NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Palisades Park NJ is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Palisades Park NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Palisades Park NJ private practices, hospitals, 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Palisades Park NJ health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Palisades Park NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training 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 available in the Palisades Park NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 attainable 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 present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Palisades Park NJ Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Palisades Park NJ residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Palisades Park NJ area and throughout New Jersey, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 as well. Get in touch with a few Palisades 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 insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Palisades Park NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent 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 needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Palisades Park NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Palisades Park health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for 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 want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Palisades Park NJ home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college 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 select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Palisades Park NJ area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out 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 Palisades Park New Jersey?

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

Palisades Park, New Jersey

Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 19,622,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 2,549 (+14.9%) from the 17,073 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,537 (+17.5%) from the 14,536 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

The borough of Palisades Park was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township. A portion of its area was annexed by the neighboring borough of Fort Lee in April 1909.[21][22][23] The borough was named for its location atop the New Jersey Palisades.[24][25]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.276 square miles (3.304 km2), including 1.251 square miles (3.241 km2) of land and 0.025 square miles (0.064 km2) of water (1.93%).[1][2]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy School near Palisades Park NJ

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Palisades Park NJ.