Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - South Bound Brook NJ

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Program near South Bound Brook 08880

South Bound Brook NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near South Bound Brook NJ is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

South Bound Brook NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as South Bound Brook NJ hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop 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.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other South Bound Brook NJ health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

South Bound Brook NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the South Bound Brook NJ area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Bound Brook NJ While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s South Bound Brook NJ home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the South Bound Brook NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 school, 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. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several South Bound Brook NJ physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the South Bound Brook NJ area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with South Bound Brook NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the South Bound Brook healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big 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 undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their South Bound Brook NJ residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose 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 commonly 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 Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the South Bound Brook NJ area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Bound Brook New Jersey?

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

South Bound Brook, New Jersey

South Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,563,[8][9][10] reflecting an increase of 71 (+1.6%) from the 4,492 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 307 (+7.3%) from the 4,185 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

What is now South Bound Brook was originally formed as a town within Franklin Township. On March 16, 1869, the name of the community was changed to Bloomington, which lasted until May 29, 1891, when the name reverted to South Bound Brook town. South Bound Brook was incorporated as an independent borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1907, based on the results of a referendum held on May 1, 1907.[20][21]

The area was first settled in 1681 and a community was established near the Bound Brook stream of the same name, which flows into the Raritan River via the Green Brook on the eastern side of the borough.[22] The brook, which was mentioned as a boundary in a Native American deed, provides the source of the borough's name.[23][24]

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near South Bound Brook NJ

Picking the right physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in South Bound Brook NJ.