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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Eastport 11941

Eastport NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Eastport NY is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Eastport NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Eastport NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try 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.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Eastport NY medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Eastport NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Eastport NY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as 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 qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Eastport NY While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of 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 school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Eastport NY residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Eastport NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the program that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Eastport NY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with 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 Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left 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 help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Eastport NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Eastport NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Eastport healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Eastport NY residence. Those 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 concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Eastport NY area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Eastport New York?

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

Eastport, New York

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14.0 km2), of which 5.3 square miles (13.6 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 2.41%, is water.[1]

Eastport dates to the 1730s when a gristmill was built there. It started as two hamlets, Seatuck and Waterville, and in the 1850s applied for a post office by the name of Seatuck. It was refused because it was too similar to Setauket, New York. It was renamed Eastport.[3]

In the first half of the 20th century it was the capital of the production of Long Island ducks, producing 6.5 million ducks from 29 farms a year going to market. At one time, the western portion of Eastport, located in the town of Brookhaven, was called "Seatuck", and the eastern portion, located in Southampton, was known as "Waterville". In the last twenty years, practically all duck farms were phased out and the descendants of the original farmers sold the valuable waterfront property for residential development projects.[4]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Eastport NY

Selecting the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Eastport NY.