How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Island Falls 04747
Earning a physical therapy degree near Island Falls ME is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover 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?
Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Island Falls ME private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously 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 create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:
- Arthritis or Osteoporosis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Head injuries.
- Cardiac arrest.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Burn injuries.
- Knee Replacement.
- Sciatica.
- Cerebral Palsy.
Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Island Falls ME health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.
Physical Therapy Degrees Offered
There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing 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 Island Falls ME area:
- Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
- Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.
Physical Therapy Online Colleges
Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Island Falls ME home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.
Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs
At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial 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 since there are so many PT colleges within the Island Falls ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to make sure that you choose the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.
Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.
What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Island Falls ME physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.
What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Island Falls ME area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.
Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.
Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have relationships with Island Falls ME hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Island Falls medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Island Falls ME residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.
Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Island Falls ME area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Island Falls Maine?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Island Falls ME area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
Island Falls, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.76 square miles (105.57 km2), of which 36.03 square miles (93.32 km2) is land and 4.73 square miles (12.25 km2) is water.[1] Island Falls also has two main lakes, Pleasant and Mattawamkeag.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 837 people, 357 households, and 228 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.2 inhabitants per square mile (9.0/km2). There were 655 housing units at an average density of 18.2 per square mile (7.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.4% White, 0.4% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.
There were 357 households of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88.
Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist College near Island Falls ME
Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Island Falls ME.
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