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

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Readington 08870

Readington NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Readington NJ is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Readington NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Readington NJ private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Readington NJ medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Readington NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Readington NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Readington NJ While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Readington NJ residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Readington NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist 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 can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Readington NJ physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, 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 Readington NJ area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Readington NJ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, 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 connections in the Readington healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. 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 several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Readington NJ residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of help is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Readington NJ area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Readington New Jersey?

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

Readington Township, New Jersey

Readington Township is a township located in the easternmost portion of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 16,126,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 323 (+2.0%) from the 15,803 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,403 (+17.9%) from the 13,400 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] Nationwide, Readington Township ranked 87th in 2000 among the Highest-income places in the United States with a population of at least 10,000.[citation needed]

Created by Royal charter of King George II, "Reading" Township was formed on July 15, 1730, from portions of Amwell Township. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon became a county. The township was incorporated as Readingtown Township, one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships, on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were annexed by Tewksbury Township in 1832 and 1861.[22] The township was named for John Reading, the first native-born governor of the British Province of New Jersey.[23][24]

Covering more than 48 square miles (120 km2), it is the largest township in the county, covering almost 11% of the county's area.[25] Over 8,000 acres (32 km2) of land have been preserved. Readington Township is bounded on the north by the Lamington River and Rockaway Creek; to the east by Somerset County, which existed as the boundary between East and West Jersey from 1688–1695;[26] to the south, the South Branch of the Raritan River; and to the west by the old West Jersey Society's line which crosses the Cushetunk Mountains.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist School near Readington NJ

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important 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 have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Readington NJ.