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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Brewerton 13029

Brewerton NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Brewerton NY is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Brewerton NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Brewerton NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Brewerton NY medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into 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

Brewerton NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Brewerton NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Brewerton NY Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of 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 in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Brewerton NY residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Brewerton NY area and across New York, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you choose the program that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 choose an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’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 agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Brewerton NY physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Brewerton NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Brewerton NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Brewerton medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Brewerton NY home. Those who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. 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 be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Brewerton NY area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Brewerton New York?

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

Brewerton, New York

Brewerton is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Cicero in Onondaga County and the town of Hastings in Oswego County in the U.S. state of New York. It lies at the west end of Oneida Lake at its outlet into the Oneida River. The population was 4,029 at the 2010 census. 19th century maps indicate that this area was once known as Fort Brewerton, while Brewerton meant the Cicero portion.[citation needed]

The community is sited near the former Fort Brewerton, erected in 1759 to defend the passage from Albany to the port of Oswego. Settlers arrived in 1789 to engage in the fur trade. The Fort Brewerton Block House Museum[1] contains local relics dating back to Paleo-Indian times. It is located next to the original fort.

In the late 18th century two Presbyterians, Rev. John Shepard and Deacon George Ramsey started preaching in the area near the Fort Brewerton embankment. Deacon Ramsey built a schoolhouse nearby which was used for both instruction and worship.[2]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Brewerton NY

Picking the best physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Brewerton NY.