Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - South Kent CT

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near South Kent 06785

South Kent CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near South Kent CT is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. 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 important qualifications that must be considered besides 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

South Kent CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including South Kent CT hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other South Kent CT medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

South Kent CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only 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 descriptions of degree levels that are available in the South Kent CT area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and commonly 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Kent CT Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature 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 an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s South Kent CT home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the South Kent CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several South Kent CT physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It may 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 useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the South Kent CT area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with South Kent CT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the South Kent health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their South Kent CT home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the South Kent CT area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Kent Connecticut?

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

South Kent, Connecticut

South Kent is a village located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, alongside the border with New York, and within and part of Kent, Connecticut. South Kent has its own Post Office whose ZIP code is 06785. South Kent is also home to South Kent School, a private prep school.

South Kent is located in Litchfield County. Its location is 41°42′01″N 73°26′49″W / 41.70028°N 73.44694°W / 41.70028; -73.44694. South Kent's terrain is mostly hilly, with small valleys and upland plateaus. There are several bodies of water in South Kent, including Hatch Pond, Mill Pond, Mud Pond, and South Spectacle Lake.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,208, and the median income for a family was $56,964. Males had a median income of $58,875 versus $34,135 for females. The per capita income for the town was $59,245.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy College near South Kent CT

Selecting the best physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in South Kent CT.