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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Lagrangeville 12540

Lagrangeville NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Lagrangeville NY is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides 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?

Lagrangeville NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Lagrangeville NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Lagrangeville NY medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear 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 stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Lagrangeville 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 one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Lagrangeville NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. 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 training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly 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 also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed 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 Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lagrangeville NY While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so 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 requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lagrangeville NY residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable 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 benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Lagrangeville NY area and across New York, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools 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 regional or a national 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 therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Lagrangeville NY physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college selections. It may 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 colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lagrangeville NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both superior 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 differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have associations with Lagrangeville NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Lagrangeville medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Lagrangeville NY home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. 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 typically 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 Aid Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out 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 therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lagrangeville NY area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lagrangeville New York?

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

LaGrange, New York

LaGrange /ləˈɡreɪndʒ/ is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 15,730 at the 2010 census.[3] The town was named after the ancestral estate of the wife of the Marquis de Lafayette.[4]

The town was originally established in 1821 as "Freedom" from parts of the towns of Beekman and Fishkill, but confusion with another location[clarification needed] caused the name to be changed to "LaGrange" in 1828.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.3 square miles (104.5 km2), of which 39.9 square miles (103.3 km2) is land and 0.46 square miles (1.2 km2), or 1.17%, is water.[3] The town of LaGrange is located within the Hudson Valley region of New York. The towns bordering LaGrange are Union Vale to the east, Beekman to the southeast, East Fishkill and Wappinger to the south, Poughkeepsie to the west, and Pleasant Valley to the north, with a small part of Washington also bordering LaGrange.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy School near Lagrangeville NY

Deciding on the right physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Lagrangeville NY.