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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Lawrence 11559

Lawrence NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Lawrence NY is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Lawrence NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Lawrence NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Lawrence NY health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Lawrence NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Lawrence NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can 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 typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 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 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lawrence NY While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lawrence NY residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Lawrence NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make certain that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 select an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Lawrence NY physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lawrence NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Lawrence NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Lawrence healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Lawrence NY home. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide 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 typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what kind 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 therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lawrence 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 courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lawrence New York?

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

St. Lawrence County, New York

St. Lawrence County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944.[1] The county seat is Canton.[2] The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Christian saint Lawrence of Rome, on whose Feast day the river was discovered by French explorer Jacques Cartier.

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present St. Lawrence County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous territory, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. The county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.

On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. The other two were called Tryon County (later renamed Montgomery County) and Charlotte County (later renamed Washington County). Tryon County contained the western portion (and, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County includes what are now 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York. Charlotte County contained the eastern portion of Albany County.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near Lawrence NY

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Lawrence NY.