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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Dryden 13053

Dryden NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Dryden NY is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to ensure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Dryden NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Dryden NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Dryden NY medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Dryden NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Dryden NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, 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 offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Dryden NY While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to 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. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Dryden NY home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Dryden NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 choose an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Dryden NY physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, 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 Dryden NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Dryden NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Dryden healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Dryden NY home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Dryden NY area, verify that they are available. 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 need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Dryden New York?

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

Dryden, New York

Dryden is a town in Tompkins County, New York, USA. The population was 14,435 at the 2010 census.[2] The town administers an area that includes two villages, one also named Dryden and one named Freeville, as well as a number of hamlets. The town is on the county's eastern border, east of Ithaca, in the Finger Lakes region.

The region was part of the Central New York Military Tract, land given as compensation to soldiers of the American Revolution. Robert Harpur, a Clerk in the office of the New York State Surveyor General who named numerous New York townships in 1790 based on his own classical studies, named Dryden for John Dryden[4] (1631–1700), the English poet and a translator of the classics (including the works of Virgil, with the town of Virgil being the next town east of Dryden). Dryden was also the translator of Plutarch’s work Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, which Harpur likely sourced for many of the names in the Military Tract.

The first settler arrived around 1797. The town of Dryden was established in 1803 from part of the town of Ulysses. In 1856, some areas in the southwest part of Dryden were given to Caroline, New York due to their remoteness from the eponymous village.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Dryden NY

Choosing the ideal physical therapy college is an important first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Dryden NY.