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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Siasconset 02564

Siasconset MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Siasconset MA is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Siasconset MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Siasconset MA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Siasconset MA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Siasconset MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Siasconset 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 obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and take about two 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 training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish 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 also must 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Siasconset MA While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Siasconset MA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Siasconset MA area and throughout Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned 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 select an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Contact some Siasconset MA physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college selections. It may also be a good idea 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Siasconset MA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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 therapist school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Siasconset MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Siasconset healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor 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 perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Siasconset MA residence. Students 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Siasconset MA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Siasconset Massachusetts?

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

Siasconset, Massachusetts

Siasconset is a census designated place (CDP) at the eastern end of Nantucket island, Massachusetts, United States with an elevation of 52 feet (16 m), and a population of 205 at the 2010 census.[2] Although unincorporated, the village has a post office, with the ZIP code 02564.[3]

The area was settled as a fishing village in the 17th century. The core of one of the older fishing shacks known as "Auld Lang Syne" is believed to date from the 1670s, but was moved around several times from its original foundation. Various other cottages date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the houses were haphazardly added onto contributing to the unique look of these Nantucket cottages.

In the 19th century a whaling station was present in the village. In 1877 Edward Underhill from Wolcott, New York bought land in the village and constructed cottages in the fashion of the original fishing shacks and then rented them to summer tourists.[5]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Siasconset MA

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental 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 fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Siasconset MA.