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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Greenvale 11548

Greenvale NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Greenvale NY is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Greenvale NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Greenvale NY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate 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
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Greenvale NY medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding 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 Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Greenvale NY While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to 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 college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Greenvale NY residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Greenvale NY area and across New York, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Greenvale NY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Greenvale NY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Greenvale NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Greenvale medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average 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 some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Greenvale NY residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something 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 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 to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Greenvale NY area, make certain 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 have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Greenvale New York?

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

Greenvale, New York

Greenvale is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 1,094. It is part of both the Roslyn and North Shore School Districts.

Located between Roslyn and Brookville, Greenvale is known as the Long Island Rail Road stop for the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University and the New York Institute of Technology. The school is located to the east in Brookville, though using the Greenvale postal code. Until 1866 the community was originally known as "Cedar Swamp."

Greenvale is the site of the historic Roslyn East Gate Toll House, a toll house for the former North Hempstead Turnpike that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since August 16, 1977.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Greenvale NY

Selecting the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following 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 training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Greenvale NY.