Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - New Berlin PA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near New Berlin 17855

New Berlin PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near New Berlin PA is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

New Berlin PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as New Berlin PA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other New Berlin PA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in New Berlin PA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees 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 necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s New Berlin PA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs 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 learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the New Berlin PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some New Berlin PA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the New Berlin PA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have relationships with New Berlin PA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the New Berlin healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their New Berlin PA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing 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 might 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 Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the New Berlin PA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near New Berlin Pennsylvania?

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

New Berlin, Pennsylvania

The Borough of New Berlin is located in central Pennsylvania on the southern edge of Union County. It sits along the north side of Penns Creek, where the south bank of said creek is the dividing line between Union and Snyder County. New Berlin is a small Borough with a population of 838 (2000 census). Union County was erected from Northumberland County March 22, 1813, and nearby Mifflinburg was the first county seat (first courthouse at 406 Green Street, with other government offices in various other buildings). New Berlin became the second seat of county government when the first Courthouse built specifically for that purpose was completed in 1815. The present day county seat was moved to Lewisburg in 1855. The Old Union County Courthouse still stands on the Town Square and houses the New Berlin Post Office and the Courthouse Museum.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 838 people, 333 households, and 243 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,882.4 people per square mile (719.0/km²). There were 355 housing units at an average density of 797.4 per square mile (304.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.45% White, 0.24% African American, 0.60% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population. Ancestries: German (41.2%), United States (11.1%), English (6.1%), Irish (5.6%), Italian (4.1%), French (3.0%).

There were 333 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near New Berlin PA

Selecting the best physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT 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 regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish 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 options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in New Berlin PA.