Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Picatinny Arsenal NJ

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Picatinny Arsenal 07806

Picatinny Arsenal NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Picatinny Arsenal NJ is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Picatinny Arsenal NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Picatinny Arsenal NJ private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Picatinny Arsenal NJ medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Picatinny Arsenal NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Picatinny Arsenal NJ area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Picatinny Arsenal NJ Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Picatinny Arsenal NJ residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Picatinny Arsenal NJ area and throughout New Jersey, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

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 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 important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Picatinny Arsenal NJ physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact 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 need to know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction 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 Picatinny Arsenal NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Picatinny Arsenal NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Picatinny Arsenal medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Picatinny Arsenal NJ residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Picatinny Arsenal NJ area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Picatinny Arsenal New Jersey?

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

Picatinny Arsenal

The Picatinny Arsenal (/ˈpɪkətɪni/ or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/) is an American military research and manufacturing facility located on 6,400 acres (26 km2) of land in Jefferson and Rockaway Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, encompassing Picatinny Lake and Lake Denmark. The Arsenal is the headquarters of the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. It is known for developing the ubiquitous Picatinny rail, as well as being the army's center of expertise for small arms cartridge ammunition.

The facility was founded in 1880 as the Picatinny Powder Depot. Soon afterward, the navy acquired a portion of the arsenal to establish the Lake Denmark Powder Depot, later known as Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot.[1] It manufactured gunpowder until after World War I, at which time the facility also began producing heavy munitions and grew more involved in research and development activities. During World War II Picatinny was a major large-caliber-round loading plant with 18,000 employees. Today, the facility develops new technologies for the US Armed Forces and builds various munitions, weapons and armor systems.

Picatinny Arsenal is also home to the US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Directorate. This group is responsible for the creation of tools, equipment, and procedures for US Army EOD personnel. Some of their more recent inventions were the use of weapons on a robot platform and the SWORDS robot. Their building has been recently renamed in honor of one of their deceased soldiers, SFC Scott "Smitty" Smith, who was killed in Iraq in July 2006.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Picatinny Arsenal NJ

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Picatinny Arsenal NJ.