Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Jefferson Valley NY

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Jefferson Valley 10535

Jefferson Valley NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Jefferson Valley NY is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Jefferson Valley NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Jefferson Valley NY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Jefferson Valley NY medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite 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

Jefferson Valley NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Jefferson Valley NY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Jefferson Valley NY Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jefferson Valley NY residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Jefferson Valley NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. 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 College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Jefferson Valley NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program 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 submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Jefferson Valley NY area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have associations with Jefferson Valley NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Jefferson Valley medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Jefferson Valley NY residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind 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 frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Jefferson Valley NY area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option 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 may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jefferson Valley New York?

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

Jefferson Valley Mall

Jefferson Valley Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Yorktown Heights, New York. Opened in 1983, it is anchored by Macy's, Sears, and Dick's Sporting Goods. It is managed by Washington Prime Group.[1]

In the early 2000s the mall went under a renovation changing the flooring and color along with removing the fountain and trees. In February 2016, the mall ownership was changed from Simon to Washington Prime Group.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Jefferson Valley NY

Selecting the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Jefferson Valley NY.