Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - North Chelmsford MA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near North Chelmsford 01863

North Chelmsford MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near North Chelmsford MA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated 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 obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

North Chelmsford MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as North Chelmsford 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other North Chelmsford MA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

North Chelmsford MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the North Chelmsford MA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in North Chelmsford MA Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many 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 combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s North Chelmsford MA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, 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 North Chelmsford MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, 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. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few North Chelmsford MA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the North Chelmsford MA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have associations with North Chelmsford MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the North Chelmsford health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their North Chelmsford MA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the North Chelmsford MA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near North Chelmsford Massachusetts?

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

North Chelmsford, Massachusetts

North Chelmsford is an unincorporated village in the town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, United States. Although North Chelmsford has its own zip code (01863), library, post office, fire station, water district, and local calling area, it is run by the same local town government and shares a school district with Chelmsford.

North Chelmsford is smaller and more densely populated than neighboring Chelmsford. North Chelmsford's separate identity, though not a seriously debated issue, is still a topic of discussion - the Lowell Sun ran an article on August 7, 2005 describing the situation as "Chelmsford's Civil War Still Raging On." Bumper stickers such as "I'm from North Chelmsford - Don't Tread On Me" can be seen around town.

The Fay A. Rotenberg School, a juvenile correctional facility for girls operated by the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, Inc. on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, first opened in North Chelmsford in 1982; this facility, which had 16 beds,[1] was on Princeton Street, near the border with Lowell.[2] In 2006 the school moved to its current location in Westborough.[3]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist College near North Chelmsford MA

Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in North Chelmsford MA.