Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - West Falmouth MA

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near West Falmouth 02574

West Falmouth MA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near West Falmouth MA is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not 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 important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

West Falmouth MA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as West Falmouth MA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other West Falmouth MA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

West Falmouth MA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the West Falmouth MA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having 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 Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in West Falmouth MA Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s West Falmouth MA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the West Falmouth MA area and across Massachusetts, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several West Falmouth MA physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Massachusetts Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction 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 West Falmouth MA area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with West Falmouth MA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the West Falmouth healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their West Falmouth MA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even 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 often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the West Falmouth MA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near West Falmouth Massachusetts?

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

Falmouth, Massachusetts

Falmouth (/ˈfælməθ/) is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,532 at the 2010 census,[2] making Falmouth the second-largest municipality on Cape Cod after Barnstable. The terminal for the Steamship Authority ferries to Martha's Vineyard is located in the village of Woods Hole in Falmouth. Woods Hole also contains several scientific organizations such as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), the Woods Hole Research Center, NOAA's Woods Hole Science Aquarium, and the scientific institutions' various museums.

For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Falmouth, please see the articles on East Falmouth, Falmouth Village, North Falmouth, Teaticket, West Falmouth, and Woods Hole. Falmouth also encompasses the villages of Hatchville and Waquoit, which are not census-designated places and fall within the village of East Falmouth based on postal service.

Falmouth was first settled by English colonists in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1686. Bartholomew Gosnold named the settlement for Falmouth, Cornwall, England,[3] his home port. Early principal activities were farming, salt works, shipping, whaling, and sheep husbandry, which was very popular due to the introduction of Merino sheep and the beginnings of water-powered mills that could process the wool. In 1837, Falmouth averaged about 50 sheep per square mile.

Select the Best Physical Therapist College near West Falmouth MA

Selecting the best physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in West Falmouth MA.