How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Frenchville 04745
Getting a physical therapist degree near Frenchville ME is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.
What is a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Frenchville ME 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by 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 strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:
- Arthritis or Osteoporosis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Strokes.
- Cardiac arrest.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Fire injuries.
- Knee Replacement.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Cerebral Palsy.
Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Frenchville ME medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.
Physical Therapist Degree Options
There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Frenchville ME area:
- Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
- Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.
Physical Therapist Online Colleges
Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, 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 segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Frenchville ME residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.
Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools
At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, 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 schools within the Frenchville ME area and across Maine, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.
Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received 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 enroll in an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.
What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Frenchville ME physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.
What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Frenchville ME area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.
Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Maine or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.
Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Frenchville ME hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Frenchville health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Frenchville ME residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.
Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Frenchville ME area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Frenchville Maine?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Frenchville ME area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
Frenchville, Maine
Frenchville (French: Ville-France[4]) is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,087 at the 2010 census: 80 percent are habitual speakers of French,[citation needed] aided by its proximity to French-speaking Quebec and New Brunswick in Canada.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.17 square miles (75.55 km2), of which 28.71 square miles (74.36 km2) is land and 0.46 square miles (1.19 km2) is water.[1] The town lies on the south bank of the Saint John River, which forms the international boundary between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,087 people, 459 households, and 346 families residing in the town. The population density was 37.9 inhabitants per square mile (14.6/km2). There were 514 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile (6.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.
Select the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Frenchville ME
Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Frenchville ME.
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