Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Columbia CT

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Columbia 06237

Columbia CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Columbia CT is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. 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?

Columbia CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Columbia CT hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Columbia CT health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Columbia CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Columbia CT area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Columbia CT Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Columbia CT residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Columbia CT area and throughout Connecticut, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Columbia CT physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Columbia CT area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Connecticut or the state where you will be working. 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 college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Columbia CT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Columbia medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several 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 college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Columbia CT home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area 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 might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Columbia CT area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Columbia Connecticut?

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

Columbia, Connecticut

Columbia is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,971 at the 2000 census. Originally a part of Lebanon, known as the North Society or Lebanon's Crank,[1] Columbia was incorporated in May 1804. The town was named for patriotic reasons after the national symbol "Columbia".[2] Columbia offers pre-kindergarten through 8th grade education in town at Horace W. Porter School, while high school students have a choice of attending three nearby high schools (Bolton High School, E. O. Smith High School, and Windham Technical High School, part of the Connecticut Technical High School System).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.0 square miles (57 km2), of which, 21.4 square miles (55 km2) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) of it (2.78%) is water.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 4,971 people, 1,864 households, and 1,463 families residing in the town. The population density was 232.8 people per square mile (89.9/km²). There were 1,988 housing units at an average density of 93.1 per square mile (35.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.43% White, 0.38% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Columbia CT

Picking the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You might want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize 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 options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Columbia CT.