Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - New Gretna NJ

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Program near New Gretna 08224

New Gretna NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near New Gretna NJ is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to 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 significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover 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?

New Gretna NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as New Gretna NJ private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other New Gretna NJ medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite 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 Therapist Degree Options

New Gretna NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training 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 offered in the New Gretna NJ area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and often 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 total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in New Gretna NJ While not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s New Gretna NJ residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can 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

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the New Gretna NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few New Gretna NJ physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the New Gretna NJ area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for New Jersey or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have relationships with New Gretna NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the New Gretna medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools 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 talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their New Gretna NJ residence. Students 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the New Gretna NJ area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near New Gretna New Jersey?

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

New Gretna, New Jersey

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near New Gretna NJ

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different colleges to see 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 be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in New Gretna NJ.