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

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near South Windsor 06074

South Windsor CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near South Windsor CT is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

South Windsor CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including South Windsor CT private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other South Windsor CT medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more 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 profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

South Windsor CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the South Windsor CT area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Windsor CT While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s South Windsor CT residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the South Windsor CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 choose an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some South Windsor CT physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with 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 two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the South Windsor CT area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Connecticut or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ 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 Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with South Windsor CT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the South Windsor healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. 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 speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their South Windsor CT home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the South Windsor CT area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Windsor Connecticut?

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

South Windsor, Connecticut

In 1659, Thomas Burnham (1617–1688) purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, chief sachem of the Podunk Indians.[3] Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children.[4] Beginning in the middle of the 17th century, a few of the settlers of Windsor began using land on the east bank of the Connecticut River for grazing and farming purposes. By 1700, a number of families had made their homes in this area, now known as South Windsor. In 1768, the residents of the area were allowed to incorporate as the separate town of East Windsor, though the area was informally referred to as East Windsor before this time, which then included all of East Windsor, South Windsor and Ellington. Known for its agriculture and ship building, the town supplied more than 200 volunteers during the American Revolution. In 1786, Ellington became an independent town. South Windsor itself was incorporated as a town in 1845.[5]Tobacco was a major crop grown in South Windsor since its founding.

(Old) Main Street, located near the Connecticut River and running north to south from the border of East Hartford to that of East Windsor, is the center of the town's historical district. Wood Memorial Library, Ellsworth School are located on the street. Minister Timothy Edwards is buried in a cemetery located on Main Street, and the town's middle school is named for him. In 1698, Edwards became the first minister for the settlers on the east side of the river, and his church was built on Main Street (in present-day South Windsor). His son, theologian Jonathan Edwards, was born in South Windsor (at the time still part of Windsor). Ulysses S. Grant stayed at a home on the street.

The town has become less and less agricultural/rural since 1950. This former farming community has been transformed into a suburban town with industrial and commercial districts. The town's population more than tripled between 1950 and 2000. In the early 1990s, residents mobilized a successful campaign against a proposed nuclear waste dump located near the East Windsor town line.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near South Windsor CT

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to 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 achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in South Windsor CT.