Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clinton Corners NY

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near Clinton Corners 12514

Clinton Corners NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Clinton Corners NY is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Clinton Corners NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Clinton Corners NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have 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 due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Clinton Corners NY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Clinton Corners NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Clinton Corners NY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clinton Corners NY While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Clinton Corners NY residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Clinton Corners NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you need to be sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online school, it can 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 through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Clinton Corners NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It might also be prudent to contact the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Clinton Corners NY area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Clinton Corners NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Clinton Corners medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Clinton Corners NY residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose 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 night or weekend classes in the Clinton Corners NY area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Clinton Corners New York?

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

Clinton, Dutchess County, New York

Clinton is a municipal subdivision of Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,312 at the 2010 census.[1] The town as a governmental subdivision is standard in New York and New England and analogous to townships in other regions.

The current boundaries of the town of Clinton were set in 1821. The general area was part of a British land grant in 1697 known as the Great Nine Partners Patent. In 1734 a soil survey was done in the Great Nine Partners patent running in 1 1/2 mile wide strips from the Hudson river east through the patent. The particular strip running at the bottom of the patent including the future hamlet of Clinton Corners was classified as good land. In 1737 the patents were reorganized into precincts, with the current town of Clinton being part of the Charlotte precinct from 1762 until 1788. In 1788 the Dutchess County Legislature reorganized the precincts into towns with Clinton formed from parts of Charlotte and Rhinebeck precincts and named in commemoration of the service of Governor George Clinton. In 1821 the current boundaries were set when the towns of Pleasant Valley and Hyde Park were created out of the larger Clinton township.

The early European settlers in Clinton filtered in from two main directions. In the early 1700s, Rhinebeck was the largest settlement in Dutchess County taking advantage of the Hudson River for transportation of people and produce. Across Dutchess county to the east the settlements of Amenia and Wassaic in the Harlem river valley were also attracting European settlers. In 1718 a road was established branching off from the central Wassaic-Poughkeepsie road to connect to the northern Amenia-Rhinbeck road at the Crum Elbow creek crossing. In 1748 the road commissioners from Rhinebeck and Crum Elbow precincts met at the bridge over Crum Elbow Creek to discuss the "old wissasiek road" (pg.15) which had been in existence for 30 years. One of those commissioners was Mordecai Lester. His home and his son's home were mentioned in the commission's report as landmarks along the road north and south of the hamlet of Clinton Corners.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Clinton Corners NY

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize 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 best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Clinton Corners NY.