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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Cortland 13045

Cortland NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Cortland NY is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Cortland NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Cortland NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Cortland NY health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Cortland NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available 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 progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Cortland NY area:

Associate Degrees train 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 equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually 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 must also 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 overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cortland NY Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Cortland 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 options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Cortland NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, 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 simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting 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 organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Cortland NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to see 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 schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Cortland NY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Cortland NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Cortland healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size 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 likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching 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 an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Cortland NY residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cortland NY area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cortland New York?

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

Cortland, New York

Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, United States of America. Known as the Crown City, Cortland is located in New York's Southern Tier region. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,204.[2] It is the county seat of Cortland County.[3]

Cortland, settled in 1791, was made a village in 1853 (rechartered in 1864), and was incorporated as a city in 1900 as the 41st city in New York state. When the county was formed in 1808, Cortland vied with other villages and won the status of becoming the county seat. Known as the "Crown City" because of its location on a plain formed by the convergence of seven valleys, Cortland is situated at 1,130 feet (340 m) above sea level. Forty stars representing the 40 cities incorporated before Cortland circle the State of New York and Crown on the city's official seal. The seven points of the crown create seven valleys depicting Cortland's seven surrounding valleys. The 41st star in the center of the crown illustrates Cortland as the closest incorporated city to the geographic center of New York.

The leading industry in Cortland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was the Wickwire Brothers wire drawing mill, noted for its production of wire hardware cloth for use as window screens. The extent of their wealth is commemorated in a pair of magnificent mansions. The Victorian Chateauesque style home of Chester Wickwire is now the 1890 House Museum & Center for Victorian Arts, while the 1912 home of Charles Wickwire is now owned and operated by the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association.[5] It is open to the public as well as being used by the Alumni Association to host college-related events and house visiting dignitaries.[6]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Cortland NY

Selecting the right physical therapy school is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Cortland NY.