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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Sparkill 10976

Sparkill NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Sparkill NY is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Sparkill NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Sparkill NY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Sparkill NY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Sparkill NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Sparkill NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and commonly 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 must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sparkill NY While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Sparkill NY residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, 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 Sparkill NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School 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 select an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Sparkill NY physical therapy centers or other health care 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 check with 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 Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Sparkill NY area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have relationships with Sparkill NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Sparkill health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Sparkill NY home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Sparkill NY area, confirm that they are available. 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, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sparkill New York?

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

Sparkill Creek

Sparkill Creek, is a tributary of the Hudson River in Rockland County, New York and Bergen County, New Jersey in the United States. It flows through the Sparkill Gap in the Hudson Palisades, which was created by a fault line which provided the only sea-level break in the Palisades.[1]

Sparkill Creek is 8 miles (13 km) long and drains 11.1 square miles (29 km2) of watershed. It begins from runoff from Clausland Mountain in Orangetown, New York. Small tributaries feed the creek as it flows through the hamlets of Blauvelt, Orangeburg, and Tappan, New York, the borough of Northvale, New Jersey, the hamlets of Palisades and Sparkill, and finally the village of Piermont, New York before emptying into the Hudson River at Piermont Marsh.

The creek is rich in history, beauty and ecological significance,[3] however its watershed has faced threats from Rockland County's population boom following the construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge[4] which have affeced the health of the creek. The creek's flooding, as well as the pollution run off have caused problems for the areas through which it flows.[5] Fear of damage to a number of important historic sites from flooding has prompted some state aid to address the problem.[6]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Sparkill NY

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Sparkill NY.