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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Montague 01351

Montague MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Montague MA is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. 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?

Montague MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Montague MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Montague MA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Montague MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Montague MA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced 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 even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Montague MA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Montague MA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. 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 benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Montague MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make sure that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Montague MA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Montague MA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have associations with Montague MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Montague healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Montague MA home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Montague MA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Montague Massachusetts?

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

Montague, Massachusetts

The villages of Montague Center, Montague City, Lake Pleasant, Millers Falls, and Turners Falls are located in the town of Montague; Turners Falls, comprising over half the population of the town and its main business district, is generally used as a metonym for the entire town of Montague..

Originally inhabited by the Pocomtuc tribe, the area was known as Peskeompskut. Montague was first settled by Europeans in 1715 and was incorporated in 1754. The town has five villages within it: Montague Center, Montague City, Turners Falls, Millers Falls, and Lake Pleasant. The Turners Falls Canal through Montague was one of the first canals in the United States, and important in early transport along the Connecticut River,[citation needed] and Lake Pleasant was a prominent spiritualist campground. Turners Falls was a planned mill community (similar to but less successful than that at Lowell, Massachusetts) that developed when the canal was converted to use for power production rather than transportation in the mid 19th century. Between 1974 and 1980, the Montague Nuclear Power Plant was proposed for construction in the town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.5 square miles (81.5 km2), of which 30.2 square miles (78.1 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), or 4.14%, is water.[2] Bounded on the west by the Connecticut River, Montague is drained by the Millers River.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Montague MA

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college 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 options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Montague MA.