Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Central Valley NY

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Central Valley 10917

Central Valley NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Central Valley NY is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Central Valley NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Central Valley NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try 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
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Central Valley NY medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Central Valley NY 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 alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Central Valley NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Central Valley NY While not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Central Valley NY home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Central Valley NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you select the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact some Central Valley NY physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It might also be a good idea 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 Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Central Valley 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 verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have associations with Central Valley NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Central Valley medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Central Valley 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 concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Central Valley NY area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option 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 because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Central Valley New York?

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

Central Valley, New York

Central Valley is a hamlet in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 1,857 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a census-designated place. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

Central Valley is in the south part of the Town and Village of Woodbury. It is located along the New York State Thruway at Exit 16, approximately 95 miles south of Albany and 50 miles north of New York City.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,857 people, 656 households, and 509 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 696.4 per square mile (268.5/km²). There were 679 housing units at an average density of 254.6/sq mi (98.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.02% White, 0.75% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 2.75% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.92% of the population.

Select the Best Physical Therapist School near Central Valley NY

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize 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 education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Central Valley NY.