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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Cohoes 12047

Cohoes NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Cohoes NY is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated 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 acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are considering to make sure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Cohoes NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Cohoes NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Cohoes NY medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, 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 bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Cohoes NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Cohoes NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be 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 GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cohoes NY While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cohoes NY residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Cohoes NY area and across New York, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 enroll in an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for 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. Get in touch with some Cohoes NY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cohoes NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Cohoes NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Cohoes healthcare community and help 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 class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average 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 determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Cohoes NY home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cohoes NY area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cohoes New York?

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

Cohoes, New York

Cohoes, New York (/kəˈhoʊz/ kə-HOHZ) is an incorporated city located at the northeast corner of Albany County in the U.S. state of New York. It is called the "Spindle City" because of the importance of textile manufacturing to its growth in the 19th century. The city's factories processed cotton from the Deep South, produced on plantations in the slave states.

As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,168. The name Cohoes is believed derived from a Mohawk term, Ga-ha-oose, referring to the Cohoes Falls and meaning "Place of the Falling Canoe," an interpretation noted by Horatio Gates Spafford in his 1823 publication "A Gazetteer of the State of New York". Later historians posited that the name is derived from the Algonquian Cohos, a place name based on a word meaning 'pine tree'.[3][4]

In the early years of Dutch colonial settlement, the majority of the city's territory was once part of the area of Manor of Rensselaerswyck, a feudal-style manor or patroonship. The land north of a line crossing the Cohoes Falls (today Manor Avenue) was outside the Manor and was owned by the Van Olohde family between 1725 and 1750.[5] Rensselaerswyck was established by Killiaen Van Rensselaer, the patroon and a Dutch merchant. In 1632, he had an agent pace off an enormous triangle-shaped area around the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, from the Peebles Island northwest to the Cohoes Falls and south to today's Watervliet;[6] this area was the core of the future city of Cohoes. Starting in the 1690s the Patroon began to issue leases for the area of Cohoes, reserving for himself a strip below the Cohoes Falls for the future site of mills powered by water.[6]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist College near Cohoes NY

Choosing the right physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will guide 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 school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field 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 Cohoes NY.