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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Pike 03780

Pike NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Pike NH is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated 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 receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Pike NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Pike NH private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Pike NH health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Pike NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals 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 target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Pike NH area:

Associate Degrees prepare 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 be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 three years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pike NH Although not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pike NH home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Pike NH area and across New Hampshire, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Pike NH physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the New Hampshire Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Pike NH area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for New Hampshire or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. 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 and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Pike NH clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to receive practical 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 assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Pike medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want 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 teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Pike NH residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pike NH area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pike New Hampshire?

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

Pike, New Hampshire

Pike is a small unincorporated community within the town of Haverhill, New Hampshire, in the United States. It is located in western Grafton County, approximately 3 miles (5 km) east of the village of Haverhill, on Oliverian Brook. The village was named after Alonzo Pike, who produced sharpening stones and tool and cutter grinders from a local deposit of Bethlehem gneiss.[2]

Pike has a separate ZIP code (03780) from the rest of Haverhill. The Pike telephone exchange covers the southern half of the town of Haverhill, including Haverhill village, and extends east to include the village of Glencliff in the town of Warren.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Pike NH

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following 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 necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Pike NH.