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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Inwood 11096

Inwood NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Inwood NY is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Inwood NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Inwood NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent 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
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Inwood NY medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Inwood NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Inwood NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Inwood NY Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Inwood NY home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Inwood NY area and across New York, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Inwood NY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent 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 School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate 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 assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Inwood NY area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports 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 college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate 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 Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Inwood NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Inwood medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor 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 opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Inwood NY residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school 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 commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Inwood NY area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Inwood New York?

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

Inwood, New York

Inwood is included among the Five Towns, an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the border with Queens County in New York City. Despite the name, none of the communities are towns. In addition to Inwood, the Five Towns is usually said to be composed of the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst, the hamlet of Woodmere, and "The Hewletts", which consist of the villages of Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor and Hewlett Neck and the hamlet of Hewlett, along with Woodsburgh.[1] The "towns" most commonly included as constituents of the "Five Towns" are all within the Town of Hempstead. Inwood is represented as part of the Town's 3rd District by Councilman Bruce A. Blakeman.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), of which, 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) of it (20.19%) is water. Inwood also has a park located on a bay with a launching pad into Mott's Basin. The park is called Inwood Park.

Inwood was first settled c. 1817 and was originally called North West Point, named after its geographic position in relation to the more central part of Far Rockaway, of which it was then a part. Its original settlers were Jamaica Bay fishermen, generally lawless and troublesome to other Rockaway residents. Soon after the American Civil War, the area became known as Westville. The first true road in the area, the Inwood end of Lord Avenue, was built when the neighboring village of Lawrence was developed.

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Inwood NY

Choosing the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Inwood NY.