Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Aurora NY

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Aurora 13026

Aurora NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Aurora NY is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those 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 select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Aurora NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Aurora NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Aurora NY health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Aurora NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, 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 progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Aurora NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 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). 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 along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

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 available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Aurora NY While not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Aurora NY home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Aurora NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, 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 mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Aurora NY physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Aurora NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. 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 college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with Aurora NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Aurora medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Aurora NY home. Those who have chosen 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 college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Aurora NY area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Aurora New York?

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

East Aurora, New York

East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 6,236 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2015, East Aurora was rated the third-best town to raise a family in New York State by Niche.[2]. According to the National Council of Home Safety and Security, it is also among the safest places to live in New York State [3] (ranked 27th, 2018).

Prior to becoming President of the United States, Millard Fillmore lived in East Aurora with his wife Abigail from 1826 to 1830. The house he built there while practicing law in the beginning of his political career is currently maintained by the Aurora Historical Society. The 1825 structure is restored to that period and features some original Fillmore furniture of the era, as well as items from Fillmore's presidential years. The home is currently located at 24 Shearer Avenue in the town of East Aurora.

The founder of the Roycroft Movement, Elbert Hubbard, also lived there during the turn of the twentieth century. Hubbard and his wife died on board the RMS Lusitania in 1915. One of the town's most famous landmarks, the Roycroft Inn, was converted from the Hubbards' original print shop and opened as an inn in 1905 to accommodate the influx of famous visitors attracted by Hubbard's ideas as well as the books, Mission-style furniture and metalware produced by the 500 Roycroft artisans on the South Grove Street Roycroft campus.[6] The Roycroft Campus was granted National Landmark Status in 1986. The Roycroft Inn was re-opened in June 1995 through the support of the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation.[7] The inn was completely restored and is open to the public for dining and accommodations. The Elbert Hubbard Museum on Oakwood Avenue features an extensive collection of Roycroft books and Arts & Crafts pieces.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Aurora NY

Choosing the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Aurora NY.