Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - West Stewartstown NH

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near West Stewartstown 03597

West Stewartstown NH physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near West Stewartstown NH is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

West Stewartstown NH physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including West Stewartstown NH private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other West Stewartstown NH health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in West Stewartstown NH Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s West Stewartstown NH residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the West Stewartstown NH area and across New Hampshire, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few West Stewartstown NH physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the West Stewartstown NH area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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 college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have relationships with West Stewartstown NH hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the West Stewartstown healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. 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 some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their West Stewartstown NH residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the West Stewartstown NH area, make sure that they are available. 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 enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near West Stewartstown New Hampshire?

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

West Stewartstown, New Hampshire

It is located along U.S. Route 3 and the Connecticut River in the northwestern corner of Stewartstown, directly across the river from Canaan, Vermont, and one mile south of the Canada–US border. Route 3 leads south 8 miles (13 km) to Colebrook and northeast 10 miles (16 km) to Pittsburg. The nearest international border crossings are Canaan–Hereford Road, 1.9 miles (3.1 km) northwest of West Stewartstown via Vermont Routes 114 and 141, and Beecher Falls–East Hereford, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) to the northeast via Vermont Route 253.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the West Stewartstown CDP has a total area of 0.64 square miles (1.65 km2), of which 0.61 square miles (1.58 km2) are land and 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 4.28%, are water.[1]

As of the census of 2010, there were 386 people, 119 households, and 76 families residing in the CDP. There were 140 housing units, of which 21, or 15.0%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.7% white, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, and 0.8% two or more races. None of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[2]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near West Stewartstown NH

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in West Stewartstown NH.