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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Pittsburg 03592

Pittsburg NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Pittsburg NH is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many 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 investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Pittsburg NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Pittsburg NH hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Pittsburg NH health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Pittsburg NH physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Pittsburg NH area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required 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 take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pittsburg NH While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pittsburg NH home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Pittsburg NH area and throughout New Hampshire, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Pittsburg NH physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the New Hampshire Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to 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. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pittsburg NH area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for New Hampshire or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Pittsburg NH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Pittsburg healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for 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 monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Pittsburg NH residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry 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 choose 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 typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pittsburg NH area, confirm 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 have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pittsburg New Hampshire?

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

Pittsburg, New Hampshire

Pittsburg is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 869 at the 2010 census.[1] It is the northernmost town in New Hampshire and the largest town by area in the state – and in New England as well – more than twice the size of the next largest town, Lincoln. U.S. Route 3 is the only major highway in the town, although the northern terminus of New Hampshire Route 145 also lies within Pittsburg.

Pittsburg derives its name from William Pitt, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Prior to its incorporation in 1840, the area was settled c. 1810 and known as the Territory of Indian Stream. It had the unique distinction of having been its own microstate briefly during the 1830s, called the Republic of Indian Stream, due to an ambiguous boundary between the United States and Canada.

Pittsburg shares an international border with Québec province, Canada to its west and north, and borders the states of Maine (to the east) and Vermont (a very small portion to the southwest). Directly to the south is Clarksville. Pittsburg is the only New Hampshire municipality to border Canada, the only one that borders both Maine and Vermont, the only one to share a land border with Vermont, and the only town entirely north of the 45th parallel. Pittsburg contains the only part of New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, as that river defines the Vermont state line from Clarksville southward. New Hampshire's only Canadian border crossing is located at the northern end of town at the terminus of U.S. Route 3. The western edge of Pittsburg is defined by Halls Stream, being the "northwesternmost headwaters of the Connecticut River", which defined (ambiguously) the border in the Treaty of Paris of 1783.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Pittsburg NH

Picking the right physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college 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 ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Pittsburg NH.