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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Sheffield 01257

Sheffield MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Sheffield MA is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Sheffield MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Sheffield MA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While 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.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Sheffield MA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather 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 Offered

Sheffield MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Sheffield MA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable 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 existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sheffield MA While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Sheffield MA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Sheffield MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Sheffield MA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Sheffield MA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Sheffield MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Sheffield medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final 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 also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Sheffield MA residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program 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 typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools 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 finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Sheffield MA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sheffield Massachusetts?

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

Sheffield, Massachusetts

Sheffield is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,257 at the 2010 census.[1] Sheffield is home to Berkshire School, a private preparatory school. The former resort town includes the village of Ashley Falls, and is bordered by various other towns and villages, such as Egremont and Great Barrington.

The land was purchased on April 25, 1724, from Chief Konkapot and 20 other Stockbridge Mahican Native Americans. Its price was 460 pounds, 3 barrels of cider and 30 quarts of rum. The lower township of Housatonic (as Outhotonnook would be corrupted) was first settled by Matthew Noble of Westfield, who arrived in 1725.

But New York claimed west of the Housatonic River under the Westenhook Patent, dated July 11, 1705, and insisted that Massachusetts cease encroachment. Indeed, one early settler was arrested and incarcerated at Albany as a trespasser on Westenhook land. Nevertheless, Sheffield, Massachusetts, was officially incorporated on June 22, 1733, the first town incorporated in what is now Berkshire County. Its north parish was set off and incorporated as Great Barrington in 1761. Located on the fertile floodplain of the Housatonic River valley, the principal industry was agriculture.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Sheffield MA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach 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 options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Sheffield MA.