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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Plainview 11803

Plainview NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Plainview NY is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Plainview NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Plainview NY hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Plainview NY health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Plainview NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Plainview NY area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Plainview NY While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Plainview NY residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Plainview NY area and across New York, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned 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 choose an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Plainview NY physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Plainview NY area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Plainview NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Plainview medical 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 rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Plainview NY residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Plainview NY area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Plainview New York?

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

Plainview, New York

Plainview is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located near the North Shore of Long Island in the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP as of 2010[update] was 26,217.[1] The Plainview post office has the ZIP code 11803.[2]

Plainview and its neighboring hamlet, Old Bethpage, share a school system, library, fire department, and water district. Law enforcement for the communities is provided by the Nassau County Police Department's, Second Precinct.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.7 square miles (15 km2). Plainview is on the Nassau County side of the border with Suffolk County. On the Nassau side it borders the hamlets of Hicksville, Old Bethpage, Syosset, and Woodbury. On the Suffolk side, its primary border is with Melville, but also touches West Hills.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Plainview NY

Choosing the ideal physical therapist program is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep 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 talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Plainview NY.