Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Franklin Square NY

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Franklin Square 11010

Franklin Square NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Franklin Square NY is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Franklin Square NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Franklin Square NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Franklin Square NY medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Franklin Square NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Franklin Square NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 3 years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Franklin Square NY While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Franklin Square NY home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Franklin Square NY area and across New York, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Franklin Square NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare 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 prudent to check with the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Franklin Square NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working. 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 program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Franklin Square NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Franklin Square health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Franklin Square NY home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Franklin Square NY area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Franklin Square New York?

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

Franklin Square, New York

Franklin Square is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 29,320 at the 2010 census. Franklin Square is an unincorporated area in the Town of Hempstead.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all land. Franklin Square is bordered on the north by Stewart Manor, northeast by Garden City, southwest by North Valley Stream, east by West Hempstead, and west by Elmont.[2]

As of the 2010 census the population was 29,320. The makeup of the population was 75.1% Non-Hispanic White, 3.2% African American, 0.11% Native American, 7.2% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.3% of the population.[3]

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Franklin Square NY

Choosing the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school 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 ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish 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 field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Franklin Square NY.