Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – West Babylon NY

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Training Program near West Babylon 11704

West Babylon NY physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapy degree near West Babylon NY is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

West Babylon NY physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as West Babylon NY private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other West Babylon NY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

West Babylon NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the West Babylon 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 obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in West Babylon NYWhile not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s West Babylon NY residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the West Babylon NY area and across New York, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are considering have received 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 school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several West Babylon NY physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the New York Attorney General and school licensing authority to see 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 should know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out 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 assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the West Babylon NY area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing. In every 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 vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have relationships with West Babylon NY hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive 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 assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the West Babylon medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their West Babylon NY home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask 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 acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the West Babylon NY area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near West Babylon New York?

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

West Babylon, New York

West Babylon is bordered to the west by Lindenhurst and North Lindenhurst, to the northwest by East Farmingdale, to the north by Wyandanch, to the northeast by Deer Park, to the east by North Babylon and the Village of Babylon, and to the south by the Great South Bay.

The racial makeup of the CDP was 79.9% White, 11.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.6% some other race, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.2% of the population. The CDP was 72.5% non-Hispanic White.[5]

There were 14,537 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were headed by married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93, and the average family size was 3.43.[5]

Choose the Best Physical Therapist College near West Babylon NY

Choosing the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in West Babylon NY.

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