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

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near Plainfield 06374

Plainfield CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Plainfield CT is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Plainfield CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Plainfield CT hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Plainfield CT medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Plainfield CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Plainfield CT area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Plainfield CT Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Plainfield CT residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Plainfield CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you select the program that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program 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 enroll in an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Plainfield CT physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Plainfield CT area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Plainfield CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Plainfield health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Plainfield CT home. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have 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 live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Plainfield CT area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Plainfield Connecticut?

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

Plainfield, Connecticut

Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 15,405 at the 2010 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield (south, ZIP code 06374), Moosup (northeast, 06354), Wauregan (northwest, 06387), and Central Village (west, 06332). Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department. The entire town is serviced by the 860 area code.

Plainfield was incorporated in 1699 as the town of Quinebaug and renamed the following year to its current name. The present name of "Plainfield" is descriptive of the original town site.[1] Plainfield proved to be an industrial heavyweight in the 19th and early 20th centuries due largely to the ability of the Moosup and Quinebaug Rivers to provide power to the different mills throughout town. Combined with the mills, Plainfield had incredible commerce for a small town because four railways from Hartford, New York, Boston, and Providence intersected within the town. There was also a highly acclaimed school on Academy Hill, which is how the present Academy Hill Road got its name.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.0 square miles (111.5 km²), of which, 42.3 square miles (109.5 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (1.81%) is water. From the southernmost point, Plainfield is 20 miles inland of the Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound (Atlantic Ocean). Plainfield is the southernmost town of Windham County. The Quinebaug River generally forms the western border of the town. The Moosup River feeds the Quinebaug and runs across the northern portion of town.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Plainfield CT

Picking the best physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Plainfield CT.