Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Brockport PA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Brockport 15823

Brockport PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Brockport PA is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number 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 investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Brockport PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Brockport PA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Brockport PA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Brockport PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Brockport PA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Brockport PA Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Brockport PA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, including the type 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 considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Brockport PA area and across Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Brockport PA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school options. It may also be prudent to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Brockport PA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Brockport PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Brockport healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Brockport PA residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Brockport PA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Brockport Pennsylvania?

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

Brockport Golden Eagles football

The Brockport Golden Eagles football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the State University of New York at Brockport located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes in the NCAA Division III and are members of the Empire 8. The team plays its home games at the 10,000 seat Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium in Brockport, New York. The Golden Eagles are coached by Jason Mangone.[1] Brockport participates yearly in the Courage Bowl.

Brockport made it to the NCAA DIII postseason for the first time in school history in 2000 and went four consecutive times under coach Salomone's lead. In 2002, Brockport made it all the way to the NCAA quarterfinals before losing to John Carroll in overtime. After a 15 year drought, the Golden Eagles qualified for the 2017 NCAA Playoffs following an undefeated regular season.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Brockport PA

Picking the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Brockport PA.