Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Avon MA

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Avon 02322

Avon MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Avon MA is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to 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’s Job Description?

Avon MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Avon MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce 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:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Avon MA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Avon MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Avon MA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding 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 Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Avon MA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Avon MA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Avon MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Avon MA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Avon MA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have associations with Avon MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Avon medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools 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 a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Avon MA home. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear 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 may need 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 live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Avon MA area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Avon Massachusetts?

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

Avon, Massachusetts

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km2), of which, 4.4 square miles (11 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (4.16%) is water. Avon is bordered by the City of Brockton on the south, Stoughton on the west, Randolph on the northeast, and Holbrook on the east. Avon is 17 miles (27 km) south of Boston; 27 miles (43 km) northeast of Providence, Rhode Island; and 211 miles (340 km) from New York City.

At the 2000 census,[9] there were 4,443 people, 1,705 households and 1,220 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,014.7 per square mile (391.7/km²). There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of 397.4 per square mile (153.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.45% White, 3.74% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.77% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population. In 2010, Avon was 92.37% Non-Hispanic White, down from 99.8% in 1990.

There were 1,705 households of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Avon MA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Avon MA.