Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Dobbs Ferry NY

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Dobbs Ferry 10522

Dobbs Ferry NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Dobbs Ferry NY is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Dobbs Ferry NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Dobbs Ferry NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Dobbs Ferry NY health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Dobbs Ferry NY While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Dobbs Ferry NY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Dobbs Ferry NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to be sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Dobbs Ferry NY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact 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 two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of dissatisfaction 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 Dobbs Ferry NY area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both superior 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 therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Dobbs Ferry NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Dobbs Ferry health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Dobbs Ferry NY home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose 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 commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Dobbs Ferry NY area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Dobbs Ferry New York?

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

Dobbs Ferry, New York

Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 11,093 according to the 2016 census.[2] The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh. The village ZIP code is 10522. Most of the Village falls into the boundaries of the Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District.

Dobbs Ferry was ranked seventh in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York State for 2014 according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto.[3] Dobbs Ferry is also the first village in New York State certified as a Climate Smart Community, honored in 2014 with the highest level given out in the state.[4][5]

Dobbs Ferry was named after Jeremiah Dobbs, a descendent of William Dobbs, of Swedish and Dutch ancestry[6] whose family ran a ferry service[7] that traversed the Hudson River at this location.[8] Jeremiah Dobbs was a fisherman and settled near the southern part of what is now Dobbs Ferry, and he "added to his meager income by ferriage of occasional travelers across the Hudson. He used a style of boat known at that day as a periauger, a canoe hollowed out of a solid log. . . From this primitive ferry the village took its name."[6]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Dobbs Ferry NY

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Dobbs Ferry NY.