Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - South Dayton NY

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near South Dayton 14138

South Dayton NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near South Dayton NY is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not 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 evaluated along with cost and location. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

South Dayton NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including South Dayton NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other South Dayton NY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

South Dayton NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the South Dayton NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become 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 equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 finish, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Dayton NY While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s South Dayton NY home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring 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.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the South Dayton NY area and across New York, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential 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 organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? 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 investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for 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. Contact some South Dayton NY physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to contact 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 couple of significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the South Dayton NY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for New York or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with South Dayton NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the South Dayton medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their South Dayton NY residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide 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 Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the South Dayton NY area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Dayton New York?

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

New York State Route 322

New York State Route 322 (NY 322) is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 83 in Balcom Corners, a hamlet within the Chautauqua County town of Villenova. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with U.S. Route 62 (US 62) in the Cattaraugus County town of Dayton. In between, the route passes through the village of South Dayton.

NY 322 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to its current alignment. Originally, maintenance of the Cattaraugus County portion of the route was split between the village of South Dayton and the county, the latter of which co-designated the highway as County Route 3 (CR 3). The state of New York assumed ownership and maintenance of the Cattaraugus County segment in 1980 as part of a highway maintenance swap between the state, the county, and South Dayton.

NY 322 is classified by the New York State Department of Transportation as a rural collector road. It serves as a connector from NY 83 to US 62 by way of the village of South Dayton. Most of the traffic along the route is made up of non-commercial vehicles; trucks account for only nine percent of all traffic along NY 322. The roadway has an asphalt surface that is two lanes wide and varies in width from 21 feet (6.4 m) to 22 feet (6.7 m). NY 322 travels through flat, open land outside of South Dayton and through residential areas within the village.[3]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near South Dayton NY

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in South Dayton NY.