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

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near Bethel 12720

Bethel NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Bethel NY is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Bethel NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Bethel NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Bethel NY medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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 Therapy Degrees

Bethel NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Bethel NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bethel NY Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Bethel NY home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many 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 dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Bethel NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online college, it can also obtain 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, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Bethel NY physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program 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 filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bethel NY area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Bethel NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Bethel medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort 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. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Bethel NY residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bethel NY area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bethel New York?

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

Bethel, New York

By the middle of the 19th century, a tourist industry began to grow. Bethel was home to numerous hotels that were part of the "Borscht Belt" and numerous sleepaway camps for most of the 20th century, including Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, Camp Chipinaw, and Camp Ranger – all on Silver Lake. In 1961, legendary Son of Sam mass murderer David Berkowitz was a camper at a now defunct summer camp in Bethel. Berkowitz left the camp after a suspicious fire occurred in his cabin.

The Town of Bethel was brought to the world's attention in 1969 when nearly 500,000 people gathered at Max Yasgur's Farm for "Three Days of Peace and Music". The documentary made about Woodstock released in 1970 showed interviews with numerous Bethel residents, including Art Vassmer, co-owner of Vassmers General Store in Kauneonga Lake. A movie called Taking Woodstock was released in August 2009 based on the book of the same title by Elliot Tiber, whose parents owned the nearby El Monaco Motel in White Lake and played a pivotal role in bringing the Woodstock nation to Bethel.

In 2006, Bethel Woods opened on the original Woodstock site as a state-of-the-art performing arts venue. In early 2008, a multi-media Woodstock "interpretive" museum opened near the old Yasgur's Farm to complement the concert space, which hosted the New York Philharmonic, Wynton Marsalis, Diane Reeves, Chris Botti, the Goo Goo Dolls, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in its inaugural season. Highlights of the Center's 2007 season were performances by Lynyrd Skynyrd/Marshall Tucker Band, Bob Dylan, Richie Havens/Arlo Guthrie, Earth, Wind & Fire, and repeat performances of the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Pops Orchestra. 2008's season featured The New York Philharmonic, the Boston Pops Orchestra, Steely Dan, the Allman Brothers, and sold-out performances by the Jonas Brothers and the last concert of the season, featuring Heart, Journey, and Cheap Trick. The 2009 season was headlined by Brad Paisley and his band "The Drama Kings".

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Bethel NY

Picking the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Bethel NY.