Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Canterbury NH

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Canterbury 03224

Canterbury NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Canterbury NH is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home 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 discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Canterbury NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Canterbury NH hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Canterbury NH health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering 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 Offered

Canterbury NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Canterbury NH area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Canterbury NH Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to 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 school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Canterbury NH residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Canterbury NH area and throughout New Hampshire, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you select the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools 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 choose an online college, it can also earn 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, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’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 agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Canterbury NH physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the New Hampshire Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Canterbury NH area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for New Hampshire or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed 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 PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have associations with Canterbury NH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Canterbury health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

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 undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Canterbury NH residence. Students who have chosen 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. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Canterbury NH area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn 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 Canterbury New Hampshire?

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

Canterbury, New Hampshire

First granted by Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth in 1727, the town was named for William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury.[2] It was originally a militia timber fort and trading post of Capt. Jeremiah Clough located on a hill near Canterbury Center, where the Pennacook Indians came to trade. The town would be incorporated in 1741.[3] There were several garrison houses or stockades in the area as late as 1758.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.4 square miles (115.0 km2), of which 43.6 square miles (112.9 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) is water, comprising 1.82% of the town.[5] The town's highest point is an unnamed summit near Forest Pond and the town's northern border, where the elevation reaches approximately 1,390 feet (420 m) above sea level. Bounded by the Merrimack River on the west, Canterbury is drained on the east by the Soucook River. Canterbury lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.[6]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 1,979 people, 749 households, and 590 families residing in the town. The population density was 45.1 people per square mile (17.4/km²). There were 838 housing units at an average density of 19.1 per square mile (7.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.59% White, 0.25% African American, 0.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Canterbury NH

Choosing the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize 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 options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Canterbury NH.