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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Cairo 12413

Cairo NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Cairo NY is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Cairo NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Cairo NY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Cairo NY health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering 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 Therapist Degrees Available

Cairo NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Cairo NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent 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 usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cairo NY Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cairo NY home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Cairo NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 select an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Cairo NY physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the New York 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 Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left 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 help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cairo NY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to 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 amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Cairo NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Cairo healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse 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 number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Cairo NY 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 importance. Something to bear 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

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

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Cairo NY area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cairo New York?

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

Cairo, New York

Cairo /ˈkɛəroʊ/ is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 6,610 at the 2010 census.[3] The town is in the south part of the county, partly in the Catskill Park. The town contains a hamlet also named Cairo.

The first settler arrived around 1772, but many new families moved in after the American Revolution. In 1803, the town of Cairo was formed from the towns of Catskill, Coxsackie, and Durham. Formerly known as "Canton", the town's name was changed in 1808 to "Cairo".[4] The accepted pronunciation is "care-oh", and newcomers are quickly advised of this.

From 1800 the Susquehannah Turnpike, a private toll road, ran through the town. The only railroad, the Canajoharie and Catskill Railroad, ran through the town, but only operated from about 1839 to 1842.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Cairo NY

Selecting the best physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Cairo NY.