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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Wellfleet 02667

Wellfleet MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Wellfleet MA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to 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 address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Wellfleet MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Wellfleet MA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Wellfleet MA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Wellfleet MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Wellfleet 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wellfleet MA While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Wellfleet MA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can 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, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Wellfleet MA area and throughout Massachusetts, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. 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 Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Wellfleet MA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations 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 couple of useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Wellfleet MA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have partnerships with Wellfleet MA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Wellfleet healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Wellfleet MA residence. Those who have chosen 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. Something to keep 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Wellfleet MA area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Wellfleet Massachusetts?

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

Wellfleet, Massachusetts

Wellfleet is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, and is located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod. The town had a population of 2,750 at the 2010 census,[1] which swells nearly sixfold during the summer.[2] A total of 70% of the town's land area is under protection, and nearly half of it is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Wellfleet is famous for its eponymous oysters, which are celebrated in the annual October Wellfleet OysterFest.

Europeans visited what is now Wellfleet as early as 1606, when the French explorer Samuel de Champlain explored and named it "Port Aux Huitres" (Oyster Port) for the bountiful oyster population resident to the area. Originally settled in the 1650s by the Europeans as Billingsgate (after the famous fish market in East London), Wellfleet was part of neighboring Eastham until 1763, when it achieved town status after nearly 30 years of petitioning.

Wellfleet's oyster beds drove the early economy, as did whaling and fishing. The town was home to 30 whaling ships at the time of the American Revolution. However, because of the decline of whaling and the mackerel catch in the late 19th century, the fleet declined, being completely free of schooners by 1900. The oyster fleet continues to this day, however, harvesting many other types of shellfish as well.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy College near Wellfleet MA

Selecting the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. 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. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Wellfleet MA.