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

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near North Easton 02356

North Easton MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near North Easton MA is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated 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 acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive 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 considering to ensure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

North Easton MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as North Easton MA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

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

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

North Easton MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the North Easton MA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in North Easton MA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s North Easton MA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the North Easton MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 select 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 select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing 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 Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few North Easton MA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the North Easton MA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Massachusetts or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with North Easton MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the North Easton medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable 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 prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their North Easton MA residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local 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 even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the North Easton MA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative 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 due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near North Easton Massachusetts?

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

Easton, Massachusetts

Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,112 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greater Boston area, but is also part of the 6-county definition of the Providence MSA.

Easton is governed by an elected Board of Selectmen. Open Town Meeting acts as the legislative branch of the town. The Selectman choose a Town Administrator to run the day-to-day operations of the town.

In 1694, the first settler, Clement Briggs, established his home near the Easton Green. In 1711, the Taunton North Purchase area became Norton, and in 1713, the sixty-nine families settled in Easton and hired Elder William Pratt as their first minister. Prior to the settlers' establishment, the area was occupied by Native Americans as a hunting area and a burial ground. During King Philip's War, Metacom, also known as King Philip, used part of Easton as a headquarters for his troops. There was no legal parish in Easton until 1722, when the East Precinct of Norton was recognized. In 1725, the area was incorporated as the Town of Easton; it was so named because it was formerly called the "East End" of the Taunton North Purchase and was shortened by pronunciation to Easton. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington stayed at the Benjamin Williams Tavern on Bay Road, which is now the second oldest existing house in Easton, while on his way to negotiate for cannonballs at the old Perry Foundry in Taunton.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near North Easton MA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach 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 appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in North Easton MA.