How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Palmyra 04965
Getting a physical therapy degree near Palmyra ME is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school 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 evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.
What Do Physical Therapists Do?
Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Palmyra ME hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:
- Osteoporosis and Arthritis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Strokes.
- Cardiac arrest.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Burn injuries.
- Knee Replacement.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Multiple Sclerosis.
Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Palmyra ME health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.
Physical Therapy Degrees Offered
There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Palmyra ME area:
- Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as 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 qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component 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 qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.
Physical Therapist Degrees Online
Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Palmyra ME residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.
Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges
At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Palmyra ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.
Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.
What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Palmyra ME 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 might also be prudent to contact the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.
What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Palmyra ME area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.
Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Maine or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.
Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with Palmyra ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Palmyra healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Palmyra ME residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Palmyra ME area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Palmyra Maine?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Palmyra ME area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
Palmyra, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.44 square miles (107.33 km2), of which, 40.16 square miles (104.01 km2) of it is land and 1.28 square miles (3.32 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,986 people, 809 households, and 552 families residing in the town. The population density was 49.5 inhabitants per square mile (19.1/km2). There were 943 housing units at an average density of 23.5 per square mile (9.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2% of the population.
There were 809 households of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.8% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.87.
Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Palmyra ME
Deciding on the right physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Palmyra ME.
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