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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Pennsauken 08110

Pennsauken NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Pennsauken NJ is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Pennsauken NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Pennsauken 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Pennsauken NJ medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Pennsauken NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Pennsauken NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only 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 attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pennsauken NJ While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pennsauken NJ residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Pennsauken NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned 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 select an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Pennsauken NJ physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might 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 School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction 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 Pennsauken NJ area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional 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 needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Pennsauken NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Pennsauken medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Pennsauken NJ home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pennsauken NJ area, make sure 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 need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pennsauken New Jersey?

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

Pennsauken Township, New Jersey

Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, in the US state of New Jersey, and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 35,885,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 148 (+0.4%) from the 35,737 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 999 (+2.9%) from the 34,738 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

The exact origin of the name Pennsauken is unclear, but it probably derives from the language of the Lenni Lenape people (a Native American group which once occupied the area) from "Pindasenauken", the Lenape language term for "tobacco pouch".[22] Alternatively, the "Penn" in the township's name refers to William Penn, while "sauk" is a water inlet or outlet.[23]

Pennsauken was home to America's first drive-in movie theater, created in 1933 with the opening of the Camden Drive-In in Pennsauken.[24] It featured the comedy Wives Beware, released in the theaters as Two White Arms.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Pennsauken NJ

Picking the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you have to 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 enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Pennsauken NJ.