Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - East Falmouth MA

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Training Program near East Falmouth 02536

East Falmouth MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near East Falmouth MA is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

East Falmouth MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including East Falmouth MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other East Falmouth MA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

East Falmouth MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, 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 preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the East Falmouth MA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 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 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 most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in East Falmouth MA While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated 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 may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s East Falmouth MA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the East Falmouth MA area and throughout Massachusetts, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some East Falmouth MA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the East Falmouth MA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. 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, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with East Falmouth MA hospitals or clinics 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 most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the East Falmouth health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their East Falmouth MA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the East Falmouth MA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option 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 as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near East Falmouth Massachusetts?

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

East Falmouth, Massachusetts

East Falmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located at the base of Massachusetts' "fishhook" peninsula (see map at right). The population was 6,038 at the 2010 census,[1] making East Falmouth the most populous of the six CDPs in Falmouth.

East Falmouth is located in the southeastern part of Falmouth at 41°33′54″N 70°33′0″W / 41.56500°N 70.55000°W / 41.56500; -70.55000 (41.565096, -70.549984).[2] It is bordered to the west by the village of Teaticket and to the east by the Childs River. Its southern border is the shore of Vineyard Sound.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.3 km2). 5.4 square miles (14.1 km2) of it is land and 0.85 square miles (2.2 km2) of it (13.54%) is water.[1]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near East Falmouth MA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following 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 training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in East Falmouth MA.