Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Woodbury Heights NJ

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Woodbury Heights 08097

Woodbury Heights NJ physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Woodbury Heights NJ is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are considering to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy 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 cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Woodbury Heights NJ physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Woodbury Heights NJ hospitals, health clinics, 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 previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Woodbury Heights NJ medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather 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 Degree Options

Woodbury Heights NJ physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Woodbury Heights NJ area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Woodbury Heights NJ Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Woodbury Heights NJ residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Woodbury Heights NJ area and across New Jersey, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 choose an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Woodbury Heights NJ physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the New Jersey Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Woodbury Heights NJ area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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 therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Woodbury Heights NJ clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Woodbury Heights healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Woodbury Heights NJ residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously 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 keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate 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 must verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Woodbury Heights NJ area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Woodbury Heights New Jersey?

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

Woodbury Heights, New Jersey

Woodbury Heights is a borough located in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough's population was 3,055,[8][9][10] reflecting an increase of 67 (+2.2%) from the 2,988 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 404 (-11.9%) from the 3,392 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

Woodbury Heights was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1915, from portions of Deptford Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 27, 1915. Portions were exchanged with Woodbury in 1925, and portions of the city were annexed on March 22, 1938. Portions were exchanged with Deptford Township in 1956 and other portions were annexed from the township in 1965.[20] The borough was named for the city of Woodbury, which in turn was named for its founder Henry Wood, who settled in the area in 1683 after arriving from Bury, England, at the age of 80 to escape religious persecution.[21][22][23]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.228 square miles (3.182 km2), including 1.222 square miles (3.166 km2) of land and 0.006 square miles (0.016 km2) of water (0.50%).[1][2]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Woodbury Heights NJ

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Woodbury Heights NJ.