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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Nottingham 03290

Nottingham NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Nottingham NH is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated 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 acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Nottingham NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Nottingham NH hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address 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 abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Nottingham NH health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. 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 bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Nottingham NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to practice as 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 short explanations of degrees that are available in the Nottingham NH area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Nottingham NH While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some 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 combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Nottingham NH home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, like the kind 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 so many PT colleges within the Nottingham NH area and throughout New Hampshire, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously mentioned, 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 may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Nottingham NH physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school options. It might 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 important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Nottingham NH area? If a program 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 verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for New Hampshire or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have associations with Nottingham NH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Nottingham healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Nottingham NH home. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Nottingham NH area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Nottingham New Hampshire?

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

Nottingham, New Hampshire

Incorporated in 1722 by Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth, Nottingham was named for Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham. The earl was a close friend of Samuel Shute and Joseph Dudley, previous colonial governors of New Hampshire. Among the grantees was Peregrine White, descendant of Peregrine White of the Mayflower, the first child of English parentage born in New England.[2] At one time, the town had 17 watermills in operation.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.4 square miles (125 km2), of which 46.5 sq mi (120 km2) is land and 1.9 sq mi (4.9 km2) is water, comprising 4.01% of the town. Containing 14 lakes and ponds, Nottingham is drained by the Pawtuckaway and North rivers, in addition to Back Creek. The town's highest point is the North Peak of Mount Pawtuckaway, at 995 feet (303 m) above sea level. The circular-shaped Pawtuckaway Mountains are a prime example of what geologists term a ring dike complex.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 3,701 people, 1,331 households, and 1,048 families residing in the town. The population density was 79.6 people per square mile (30.8/km²). There were 1,592 housing units at an average density of 34.3 per square mile (13.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.38% White, 0.19% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Nottingham NH

Selecting the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Nottingham NH.