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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Danbury 03230

Danbury NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Danbury NH is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Danbury NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Danbury NH hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Danbury NH health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Danbury NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Danbury NH area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Danbury NH While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Danbury NH residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Danbury NH area and throughout New Hampshire, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’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 also. Get in touch with some Danbury NH physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It may also be a good idea to contact the New Hampshire Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Danbury NH area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for New Hampshire or the state where you will be practicing. 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. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have associations with Danbury NH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Danbury healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student 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 a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Danbury NH home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local 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 might 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 Help Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Danbury NH area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Danbury New Hampshire?

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

Danbury, New Hampshire

It was first settled about 1771 as a part of Alexandria, but mountainous terrain separated it from the rest of the town. In 1795, it was set off and incorporated, the name suggested by a settler from Danbury, Connecticut. The town later grew by adding land from Wilmot and Hill. Farmers found the surface mostly hilly, but with some good intervales suitable for agriculture. Raising cattle and sheep became the principal occupation. By 1859, when the population was 934, it had seven sawmills, two shingle, lath and clapboard mills, and one tannery.[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.7 square miles (98 km2), of which 37.5 sq mi (97 km2) is land and 0.3 sq mi (0.78 km2) is water, comprising 0.74% of the town.

The highest point in Danbury is the summit of Tinkham Hill, at 2,320 feet (710 m) above sea level, in the northern part of town. Ragged Mountain is a prominent mountain with multiple summits which occupies the southern portion of town and has a ski area of the same name; the elevation of the Danbury summit of Ragged is 2,225 ft (678 m) above sea level. The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway hiking trail crosses a corner of Danbury along Ragged Mountain's Ridge Trail. Access to the Ridge Trail from the SRK Greenway is on the SRKG 6.1 mile trail section 9, either from trailhead parking on New Canada Road in Wilmot from the northwest or from Proctor Academy's trailhead parking in Andover from the southeast.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Danbury NH

Choosing the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to different colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Danbury NH.