Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Glenwood Landing NY

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Glenwood Landing 11547

Glenwood Landing NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Glenwood Landing NY is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Glenwood Landing NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Glenwood Landing NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share 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 often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Glenwood Landing NY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Glenwood Landing NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Glenwood Landing NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can 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 made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want 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 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Glenwood Landing NY Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs 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 close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Glenwood Landing NY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Glenwood Landing NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Glenwood Landing NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer 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 see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Glenwood Landing NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program 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 each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Glenwood Landing NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Glenwood Landing health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Glenwood Landing NY home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Glenwood Landing NY area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn 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 Glenwood Landing New York?

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

Raphael Beck (artist)

Named after the famous painter, Beck was the oldest of the eight children of J. Augustus Beck, an accomplished artist who designed the bas relief at the foot of the Washington Monument. When Beck was 20, after studying with his father, he traveled to Europe for two years to study in Munich with the famous landscape artist, Paul Weber, and then at the Académie Julian in Paris.

After his return to the States, Beck began his first major commissioned work, a series of murals for the capitol building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Around this time he also settled in Lockport, New York and established a studio in Buffalo.

Beck produced a wide variety of artworks including stained glass windows, life size masks, etchings, oils, watercolors, and large murals, including a mural of the opening of the Erie Canal, an oil painting of the pilgrims landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and a portrait of General Lafayette among others.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Glenwood Landing NY

Selecting the right physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able 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 Glenwood Landing NY.