Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Belmar NJ

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Belmar 07715

Belmar NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Belmar NJ is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Belmar NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Belmar NJ hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Belmar NJ medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Belmar NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Belmar NJ area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Belmar NJ Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Belmar NJ residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Belmar NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to be sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools 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 regional or a national 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 choose an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Belmar NJ physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the New Jersey 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 relevant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Belmar NJ area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate 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 exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Belmar NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Belmar medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Belmar NJ home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges 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 Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Belmar NJ area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Belmar New Jersey?

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

Belmar, New Jersey

Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 5,794,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 251 (-4.2%) from the 6,045 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 168 (+2.9%) from the 5,877 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

What is now Belmar was originally incorporated as Ocean Beach borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1885, from portions of Wall Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. On April 16, 1889, it became the City of Elcho borough, which lasted for a few weeks until the name was changed to the City of Belmar Borough as of May 14, 1889. The city acquired its current name, Borough of Belmar, on November 20, 1890.[20] The borough's name means "beautiful sea" in Italian.[21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.647 square miles (4.266 km2), including 1.045 square miles (2.707 km2) of land and 0.602 square miles (1.559 km2) of water (36.54%).[1]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Belmar NJ

Choosing the right physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to active 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 be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Belmar NJ.