Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Ashaway RI

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy College near Ashaway 02804

Ashaway RI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Ashaway RI is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Ashaway RI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Ashaway RI 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Ashaway RI medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Ashaway RI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Ashaway RI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 United States. Some 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 Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Ashaway RI While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Ashaway RI residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Ashaway RI area and throughout Rhode Island, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Ashaway RI physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Rhode Island Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Ashaway RI area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Rhode Island 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 therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Ashaway RI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get hands on 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 develop professional connections in the Ashaway health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Ashaway RI residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Ashaway RI 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 credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Ashaway Rhode Island?

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

Ashaway, Rhode Island

Ashaway is an unincorporated village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Hopkinton in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. It is a principal village of Hopkinton, along with Hope Valley, although it is the smaller of the two. The population was 1,485 at the 2010 census. The name Ashaway is derived from the American Indian name for the river that runs through the village, the Ashawague or Ashawaug, which means "land in the middle" or "land between" in the Niantic and Mohegan languages.[3] The name "Ashawague River" appears as late as 1832 on the Findley map of Rhode Island published in Philadelphia, PA.

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 1,485 people, 566 households, and 418 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 239.5/km² (620.3/mi²). There were 617 housing units at an average density of 99.5/km² (257.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.14% White, 0.88% African American, 1.55% American Indian, 0.88% Asian, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.83% of the population.

There were 566 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.01.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy College near Ashaway RI

Picking the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Ashaway RI.