Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - New Bedford MA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near New Bedford 02740

New Bedford MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near New Bedford MA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

New Bedford MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as New Bedford MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other New Bedford MA health 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 keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

New Bedford MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the New Bedford MA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become 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 equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in New Bedford MA While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s New Bedford MA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the New Bedford MA area and throughout Massachusetts, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 choose an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several New Bedford MA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college selections. It may 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 Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the New Bedford MA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Massachusetts or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have associations with New Bedford MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the New Bedford medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their New Bedford MA residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online 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 choose 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the New Bedford MA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near New Bedford Massachusetts?

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

New Bedford, Massachusetts

New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072,[3] making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. New Bedford is nicknamed "The Whaling City" because during the 19th century, the city was one of the most important whaling ports in the world, along with Nantucket, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut.[4] The city, along with Fall River and Taunton, make up the three largest cities in the South Coast region of Massachusetts.

Before the 17th century, the Wampanoag, who had settlements throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, were the only inhabitants of the lands along the Acushnet River. Their population is believed to have been about 12,000. While exploring New England, Bartholomew Gosnold landed on Cuttyhunk Island on May 15, 1602. From there, he explored Cape Cod and the neighboring areas, including the site of present-day New Bedford. However, rather than settle the area, he returned to England at the request of his crew.

Europeans first settled New Bedford in 1652. English Plymouth Colony settlers purchased the land from chief Massasoit of the Wampanoag tribe. Whether the transfer of the land was legitimately done has been the subject of intense controversy. Like other native tribes, the Wampanoags did not share the settlers' concepts of private property. The tribe may have believed they were granting usage rights to the land, not giving it up permanently.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near New Bedford MA

Choosing the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in New Bedford MA.