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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Pawtucket 02860

Pawtucket RI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Pawtucket RI is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. 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 be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Pawtucket RI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Pawtucket RI private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Pawtucket RI health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Pawtucket RI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Pawtucket RI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pawtucket RI While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pawtucket 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 alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Pawtucket RI area and across Rhode Island, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 enroll in an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research 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 organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Pawtucket RI physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school options. It might also be a good idea 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 two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Pawtucket RI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Rhode Island or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required 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 exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with Pawtucket RI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Pawtucket medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching 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 final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Pawtucket RI 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 consider is that if you decide 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pawtucket RI area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pawtucket Rhode Island?

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

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

The Pawtucket region was said to have been one of the most populous places in New England prior to the arrival of European settlers.[5]Native Americans would gather here to take advantage of the salmon and smaller fish which gathered at the falls.[5] The first European settler here was Joseph Jenckes, who came to the region from Lynn, Massachusetts.[5] He purchased about 60 acres near Pawtucket Falls in 1671.[5] He established a sawmill and forge.[5] These, along with the entire town, were later destroyed during King Philip's War.[5]

Other settlers followed Jencks, and by 1775 the area was home to manufacturers of muskets, linseed oil, potash, and ship building.[5] Also around this time Oziel Wilkinson and his family set up an iron forge making anchors, nails, screws, farm implements, and even cannons.[5]

Pawtucket was an early and important center of cotton textiles during the American Industrial Revolution. Slater Mill, built in 1793 by Samuel Slater on the Blackstone River falls in downtown Pawtucket, was the first fully mechanized cotton-spinning mill in America.[6] Slater Mill is known for developing a commercially successful production process not reliant on earlier horse-drawn processes developed in America. Slater constructed and operated machines for producing yarn. Other manufacturers continued, transforming Pawtucket into a center for textiles, iron working, and other products.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Pawtucket RI

Choosing the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Pawtucket RI.