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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Training Program near Blackstone 01504

Blackstone MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Blackstone MA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. 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 the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Blackstone MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Blackstone MA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Blackstone MA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Blackstone MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Blackstone MA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Blackstone MA While not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school 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 Blackstone MA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Blackstone MA area and throughout Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate 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 organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Blackstone MA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Blackstone MA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Blackstone MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Blackstone healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Blackstone MA home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Blackstone MA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have 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 emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Blackstone Massachusetts?

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

Blackstone, Massachusetts

This region was first inhabited by the Nipmuc. Blackstone was settled by European immigrants in 1662 and was incorporated in 1845. The town was part of Mendon, Massachusetts, before becoming a separate municipality. Blackstone is within the area of the John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.2 square miles (29 km2), of which 10.9 square miles (28 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 2.94%, is water. The Blackstone River, birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the United States,[2] meanders west to southeast, on the south border of town.

The town is bordered by North Smithfield, Rhode Island and Woonsocket, Rhode Island to the south; Millville, Massachusetts to the west; Mendon, Massachusetts to the north, and Bellingham, Massachusetts (Norfolk County) to the east.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Blackstone MA

Choosing the best physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize 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 appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Blackstone MA.