Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Addison NY

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Addison 14801

Addison NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Addison NY is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Addison NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Addison NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Addison NY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Addison NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Addison NY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and usually include 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 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 complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Addison NY While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Addison NY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Addison NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing 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 enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Addison NY physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Addison NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for New York 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 therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with Addison NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Addison medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student 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 speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Addison NY home. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might 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 Help Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Addison NY area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Addison New York?

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

Addison, New York

The town was first settled in 1791 by Samuel Rice. Addison, originally a part of the old town of Painted Post, was organized as Middletown at the time of the organization of Steuben county in March 1796. The name was changed to Addison, in honor of Joseph Addison, the English author, on April 6, 1808. The early settlers called it also "Tuscarora". In 1890 the population of Addison was 2,884.[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.7 square miles (66.5 km²), of which, 25.6 square miles (66.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.

Addison is on the Southern Tier Main Line of the Norfolk Southern Railway, ultimate successor to the Erie/Erie Lackawanna Railroads which ran the railroad from its opening in 1850 to 1976. From c. 1885 to 1961 Addison was also the northern terminus of the Wellsville, Addison & Galeton Railroad/Baltimore & Ohio/Buffalo & Susquehanna line from Galeton, Penn.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Addison NY

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve 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 field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Addison NY.