Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Glen Oaks NY

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near Glen Oaks 11004

Glen Oaks NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Glen Oaks NY is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Glen Oaks NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Glen Oaks NY private practices, hospitals, 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 individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop 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.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Glen Oaks NY health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Glen Oaks NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Glen Oaks NY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often include 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 commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding 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 Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Glen Oaks NY Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so 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 near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Glen Oaks NY residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Glen Oaks NY area and across New York, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist 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 may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Glen Oaks NY physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Glen Oaks NY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have relationships with Glen Oaks NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Glen Oaks health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Glen Oaks NY home. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Glen Oaks NY area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Glen Oaks New York?

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

Glen Oaks, Queens

Glen Oaks lies between Grand Central Parkway and Nassau County to the north, Union Turnpike to the south, the Queens/Nassau border (Lakeville Road) to the east, and the Cross Island Parkway to the west. In this area, the Queens/Nassau border separates New York City from the Village of Lake Success to the north. The Queens/Nassau border is referred to locally as "the city line" and is so designated on New York City buses. Union Turnpike is the main commercial road in the area.

The northern edge of Glen Oaks is a line of hills which are part of the terminal moraine of the last glacial period. These hills include the highest point in Queens: 258.2 feet (78.7 m) above sea level.[2] The southern part of Glen Oaks is a glacial outwash plain.[citation needed]

The postal ZIP code zones for this area do not follow political boundaries, even crossing the city line. The easternmost part of the neighborhood is in the 11040 zip code, addressed as New Hyde Park. The northernmost part of the neighborhood—the North Shore Towers complex—is in the 11005 zip code, addressed as Floral Park. The portion of the neighborhood west of Little Neck Parkway—other than the Queens County Farm Museum—is in the 11426 zip code, addressed as Bellerose. Finally, the central part of the neighborhood is in the 11004 zip code, which may be addressed as either Glen Oaks or Floral Park. Since the zip codes cross the city line, they cannot be used as the sole means to determine sales tax rates. This has caused problems for area residents.[3]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Glen Oaks NY

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Glen Oaks NY.