Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cold Spring Harbor NY

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Training Program near Cold Spring Harbor 11724

Cold Spring Harbor NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Cold Spring Harbor NY is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Cold Spring Harbor NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Cold Spring Harbor 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Cold Spring Harbor NY medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Cold Spring Harbor NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Cold Spring Harbor NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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 USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cold Spring Harbor NY While not as prevalent as the on-campus 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 incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cold Spring Harbor NY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Cold Spring Harbor NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 select an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Cold Spring Harbor NY physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college options. It may also be a good idea 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 significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Cold Spring Harbor NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working. In every 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, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Cold Spring Harbor NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Cold Spring Harbor medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Cold Spring Harbor NY home. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even 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 commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cold Spring Harbor NY area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cold Spring Harbor New York?

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

Cold Spring Harbor, New York

Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 5,070.[2]

Cold Spring Harbor was named after the naturally cold freshwater springs that flow in the area. Its economy mainly tied to milling and port activities, it rose in prominence as a whaling community in the mid-nineteenth century. After the decline of whaling in the 1860s, it became a resort town with several hotels. In the 20th century it became known as the site of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, although the laboratory itself is located in the adjacent village of Laurel Hollow in Nassau County which was called Cold Spring, before incorporation.

Today it is primarily a bedroom community of New York City, with a small central business area running along Route 25A, and is home to many educational and cultural organizations: the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium, Dolan DNA Learning Center, the Uplands Farm Sanctuary (home of The Nature Conservancy's Long Island chapter), and a museum exhibition gallery run by Preservation Long Island.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near Cold Spring Harbor NY

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Cold Spring Harbor NY.