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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Manville 08835

Manville NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Manville NJ is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to 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 cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Manville NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Manville NJ hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Manville NJ medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Manville NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Manville NJ area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Manville NJ Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Manville NJ residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Manville NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Manville NJ physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Manville NJ area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have relationships with Manville NJ 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 help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Manville healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical 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 speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Manville NJ home. Students who have opted to attend classes online 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 keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Manville NJ area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. 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 Manville New Jersey?

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

Manville, New Jersey

Manville is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 10,344,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of one person (+0.0%) from the 10,343 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 224 (-2.1%) from the 10,567 counted in the 1990 Census.[20] Manville was named after the Johns-Manville Corporation, which maintained a large manufacturing facility in the borough for decades.

Historically, many of Manville's residents are of Slavic — mostly eastern Polish (23.1% of the borough's population in 2000[21]) and western Ukrainian descent — with many businesses and restaurants geared towards the Polish-American community located along Main Street (County Route 533).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.449 square miles (6.342 km2), including 2.361 square miles (6.114 km2) of land and 0.088 square miles (0.228 km2) of water (3.60%).[1][2]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Manville NJ

Selecting the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Manville NJ.