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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Hewitt 07421

Hewitt NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Hewitt NJ is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hewitt NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Hewitt NJ hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating 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 diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Hewitt NJ health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Hewitt NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single 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 advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Hewitt NJ area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hewitt NJ While not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so 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 college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hewitt NJ home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable 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 benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, 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 Hewitt NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Hewitt NJ physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be prudent to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hewitt NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have associations with Hewitt NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Hewitt healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing 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 a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Hewitt NJ home. Individuals who have decided 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. One thing to keep 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 be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hewitt NJ area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hewitt New Jersey?

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

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979)[2] is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer and director. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated (1989–1991) as well as performing as a backup singer before recording her debut studio album at the age of 12, Love Songs (1992), which was released exclusively in Japan. Hewitt received her breakthrough role as Sarah Reeves Merrin on the Fox teen drama Party of Five (1995–1999), and rose to fame as a teen star for her role as Julie James in the horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its 1998 sequel.

Hewitt released her second and third studio albums with Atlantic Records, Let's Go Bang (1995) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (1996), both of which saw little commercial success. Thereafter, she starred alongside Sigourney Weaver in the romantic comedy film Heartbreakers (2001) and alongside Jackie Chan in the action comedy film The Tuxedo (2002). Hewitt released her fourth studio album and most recent to date with Jive Records in 2002, BareNaked, which became her first album to chart in the United States, peaking at number 37 on the Billboard 200 chart. Her most successful single on the Billboard Hot 100 was the 1999 release "How Do I Deal", which peaked at number 59.[3]

From 2005 to 2010, Hewitt starred as Melinda Gordon on the CBS supernatural drama Ghost Whisperer, for which she received two Saturn Awards in 2007 and 2008. She later starred on the Lifetime drama series The Client List from 2012 to 2013, and was previously nominated for a Golden Globe Award for the pilot film. From 2014 to 2015, she starred as Special Agent Kate Callahan on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. In addition to acting, she has served as a producer on some of her film and television projects. Hewitt was identified as the "number one reader choice" on the November 1999 and May 2009 covers of Maxim magazine.[4]TV Guide named her the sexiest woman on television in 2008.[5]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hewitt NJ

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Hewitt NJ.