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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Owego 13827

Owego NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Owego NY is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss 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’s Job Description?

Owego NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Owego 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 earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Owego NY health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Owego NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Owego 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 a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress 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. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Owego NY Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so 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 near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Owego NY residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Owego NY area and across New York, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, 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 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 select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Owego NY physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact 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 important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Owego NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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 therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary 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 supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have partnerships with Owego NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Owego healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Owego NY home. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Support Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Owego NY area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option 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 because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Owego New York?

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

Owego, New York

The town was first settled around 1786. The "Original Town of Owego" was created at the time Tioga County was formed in 1791. This original town was reduced by formation of later towns in the county. The town's name is a derivative of the Iroquois word "Ahwaga", which means "where the valley widens". This name came from the vast floods that run into the valley when the winter snows melt, which caused several deaths a year.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 105.8 square miles (273.9 km²), of which, 104.2 square miles (269.8 km²) of it is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) of it (1.51%) is water.

The Southern Tier Expressway (New York State Route 17) crosses the town on the river's south bank. New York State Route 17C follows the river along the north bank. New York State Route 38 and New York State Route 96 converge north of Owego village.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist College near Owego NY

Picking the best physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Owego NY.