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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Terryville 06786

Terryville CT physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Terryville CT is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will provide 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 nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Terryville CT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Terryville CT hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Terryville CT health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

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

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and require 2 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 prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Terryville CT While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Terryville CT residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Terryville CT area and across Connecticut, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 may 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 guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Terryville CT physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. 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 schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Terryville CT area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Connecticut or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Terryville CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Terryville healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some 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 school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Terryville CT residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

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

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

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Terryville Connecticut?

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

Terryville, Connecticut

Terryville is a census-designated place (CDP) that can be found in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is the largest village within the town of Plymouth. In the 2010 census, Terryville was recorded as having a population of 5,387. The village is named for Eli Terry Jr., the son of the well-known clockmaker Eli Terry Sr. In addition to that, Terryville is also home to the Lock Museum of America. There is a water wheel located in downtown Terryville that is dedicated to the son of Eli Terry Sr.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were over 12,000 people, 2,199 households, and 1,460 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 747.1/km² (1,935.6/mi²). There were 2,312 housing units at an average density of 322.3/km² (834.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.18% White, 0.86% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.

There were 2,199 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.01.

Select the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Terryville CT

Choosing the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see 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 practicing licensed 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 right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Terryville CT.