Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Jewett City CT

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist School near Jewett City 06351

Jewett City CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Jewett City CT is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled 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 must receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

Jewett City CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Jewett City CT private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Jewett City CT health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Jewett City CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Jewett City CT area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

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 attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jewett City CT Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so 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 school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jewett City CT residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Jewett City CT area and throughout Connecticut, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Jewett City CT physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Jewett City CT area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Connecticut 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 therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Jewett City CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Jewett City medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. 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 College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Jewett City CT residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Jewett City CT area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jewett City Connecticut?

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

Jewett City, Connecticut

Jewett City is a borough in New London County, Connecticut, in the town of Griswold. The population was 3,487 at the 2010 census.[2] The borough was named for Eliezer Jewett, who founded a settlement there in 1771.[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), of which 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 4.00%, is water.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 3,053 people, 1,337 households, and 743 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,213.9 people per square mile (1,637.2/km²). There were 1,464 housing units at an average density of 2,020.7/sq mi (785.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.07% White, 2.46% African American, 0.88% Native American, 1.44% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.85% of the population.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Jewett City CT

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach 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 right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Jewett City CT.