How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Putnam Station 12861

Receiving a physical therapy degree near Putnam Station NY is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people 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 need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Putnam Station NY private practices, hospitals, 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Fire injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Putnam Station NY health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Putnam Station NY area:

• Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs 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 usually part of the program.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement 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 finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Putnam Station NY home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Putnam Station NY area and across New York, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 choose an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. 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 Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Putnam Station NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea 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 couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Putnam Station NY area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to 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 performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Putnam Station NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get 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 may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Putnam Station medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Putnam Station NY residence. Students who have opted 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. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Putnam Station NY area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Putnam Station New York?

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

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Putnam Station NY

Selecting the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Putnam Station NY.

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