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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Mountainside 07092

Mountainside NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Mountainside NJ is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant 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?

Mountainside NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Mountainside NJ private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Mountainside NJ health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Mountainside NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable 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 short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Mountainside NJ area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mountainside NJ Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Mountainside NJ home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Mountainside NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 as well. Call some Mountainside NJ physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Mountainside NJ area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Mountainside NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Mountainside medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Mountainside NJ residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Mountainside NJ area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mountainside New Jersey?

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

Mountainside, New Jersey

Mountainside is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 6,685,[10][11][12] reflecting an increase of 83 (+1.3%) from the 6,602 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 55 (-0.8%) from the 6,657 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

In 1958, part of a Nike missile battery (NY-73) was installed, with the missile launchers themselves in Mountainside while the radar station was installed in Berkeley Heights. It remained in operation until 1963 and remnants of the site are located adjacent to Governor Livingston High School.[23]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 4.0497 square miles (10.487 km2), including 4.008 square miles (10.380 km2) of land and 0.041 square miles (0.107 km2) of water (1.02%).[1][2]

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Mountainside NJ

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is an important initial decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish 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 right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Mountainside NJ.