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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hawthorne 10532

Hawthorne NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Hawthorne NY is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Hawthorne NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Hawthorne 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 touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Hawthorne NY medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Hawthorne NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Hawthorne NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hawthorne NY Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, 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 requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hawthorne NY residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Hawthorne NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Hawthorne NY physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. It may 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hawthorne NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Hawthorne NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Hawthorne health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Hawthorne NY residence. Those who have chosen 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 importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hawthorne NY area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hawthorne New York?

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

Hawthorne, New York

The village was originally known as Hammond's Mills, and was part of Frederick Philipse's estate Philipsburgh. On September 23, 1780, Major John André stopped here on his way to New York to ask directions after meeting with Benedict Arnold.

After the Revolutionary War, the name of the village changed to Unionville. The hamlet's population consisted mostly of farmers. The Reformed Church of Unionville (Hawthorne Reformed Church) was built here in 1818. In 1832, a one-room school house was built. In 1847, a railroad station was established on New York Central's Harlem Division, with the name Unionville. A post office was established on February 10, 1851, and was designated Neperan after the Indian name for the Saw Mill River.

In the early 1890s, real-estate developer Louis Smadbeck began buying up the area farms to subdivide into parcels, which were sold to working- and middle-class people looking to live outside the city.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Hawthorne NY

Selecting the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hawthorne NY.