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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Tuckahoe 10707

Tuckahoe NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Tuckahoe NY is an important 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 may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Tuckahoe NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Tuckahoe NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Tuckahoe NY medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Tuckahoe NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Tuckahoe NY area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

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. 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 mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Tuckahoe NY While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, 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 school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Tuckahoe NY home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Tuckahoe NY area and throughout New York, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to be sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to 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 programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Tuckahoe NY physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Tuckahoe NY area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have partnerships with Tuckahoe NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Tuckahoe health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Tuckahoe NY home. Students who have chosen 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 importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Tuckahoe NY area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Tuckahoe New York?

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

Tuckahoe (village), New York

Tuckahoe is a village in the town of Eastchester in Westchester County, New York, United States. One-and-a-half miles long and three-fourths of a mile wide, with the Bronx River serving as its western boundary, the Village of Tuckahoe is approximately sixteen miles north of midtown Manhattan in Southern Westchester County.[2] As of the 2010 census, the village's population was 6,486.[3]

The name “Tuckahoe," meaning “it is globular," was a general term used by the Native Americans of the region when describing various bulbous roots which were used as food. Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, Tuckahoe was a rural, minor community which was part of the larger town of East Chester. It wasn't until the early nineteenth century that Tuckahoe first became a semi-prominent part of the New York Metropolitan Area upon the discovery of vast, high-quality, white marble deposits near the Bronx River by Scottish businessman Alexander Masterson.[4] Through the use of his financial wealth and influence, Masterson jump-started Tuckahoe's marble industry, its first quarry in 1812. The extremely high quality of "Tuckahoe Marble" was in great demand, quickly transforming the once quiet village into the "marble capital of the world".[5] In the 1840s, to serve quarry owners who transported marble to the city, the New York and Harlem Railroad opened two train depots in Tuckahoe. The booming industry drew succeeding waves of German, Irish and Italian immigrant workers, and, after the Civil War, African-Americans who migrated from the South.[6] The Tuckahoe quarries produced heavily for almost a century before supplies dwindled and the industry shut down.[7] The village's Church of the Immaculate Conception was constructed for the predominantely Catholic population using Tuckahoe Marble.[8]

In the 1920s Burroughs Wellcome (now part of GlaxoSmithKline) established research and manufacturing facilities on Scarsdale Road on land acquired from the Hodgman Rubber Company,[9]:18[10][11] and for many years was a leading industry in Tuckahoe[9] until the company moved to Research Triangle Park in North Carolina in 1971.[12] The Nobel Prize winning scientists Gertrude B. Elion and George H. Hitchings worked there and invented drugs still used many years later, such as the cancer and autoimmune disease supressant mercaptopurine.[13]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Tuckahoe NY

Selecting the right physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to go to different schools to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Tuckahoe NY.