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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Islandia 11749

Islandia NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Islandia NY is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Islandia NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Islandia NY hospitals, health clinics, 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 people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

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

Physical Therapy Degrees

Islandia 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 available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Islandia NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some 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 Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Islandia NY Although not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees 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 close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Islandia NY home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Islandia NY area and across New York, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Islandia NY physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It may also be prudent to contact the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Islandia NY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some 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 therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Islandia NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Islandia health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Islandia NY home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes 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 keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Islandia NY area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Islandia New York?

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

Islandia, New York

Islandia is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 3,335 at the 2010 census.[2] The Incorporated VIllage of Islandia is located in the northern part of the town of Islip.

Islandia straddles the Long Island Expressway and is near the geographic center of Long Island. It has no central business district, although it is home to the Islandia Center, which has a Walmart and Dave & Buster's. It was established in 1985 after CA Technologies established its world headquarters in Hauppauge and trying to capture the Hauppauge School District, in the area some people considered to be South Hauppauge, however there was never a South Hauppauge, and Islandia became its own incorporated Village in 1985.

The core of Islandia is a 500-home housing development built by Levitt & Sons circa 1963, which offered seven different model homes to choose from. The original Levitt home buyers were informed during pre-construction sales that their children should attend the Hauppauge school district, but instead it became part of the Central Islip school district. The Levitt development was assigned the Central Islip ZIP code 11722 and was considered part of Central Islip until the incorporation of Islandia in 1985.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Islandia NY

Picking the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Islandia NY.