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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Westfield 14787

Westfield NY physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Westfield NY is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Westfield NY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Westfield NY private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Westfield NY medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Westfield NY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Westfield NY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may 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 provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 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 prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Westfield NY Although not as common as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Westfield NY home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Westfield NY area and throughout New York, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Westfield NY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school 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 Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Westfield NY area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Westfield NY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Westfield medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student 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 an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Westfield NY home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally 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 choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need 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 Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Westfield NY area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Westfield New York?

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

Westfield, New York

Westfield is a town in the western part Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 4,896 at the 2010 census.[3]Westfield is also the name of a village within the town, containing 65% of the town's population.

The area was first settled in 1802 by James McMahan, formerly of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. McMahan established a mill near the mouth of Chautauqua Creek, where it empties into Lake Erie. The mill was later dismantled in advance of the War of 1812 to prevent it falling into the hands of the British. Today some of the millstones from McMahan's mill rest outside the Patterson Library in Westfield village.

The Barcelona Lighthouse was constructed in 1829 to overlook Barcelona Harbor and aided sailors on Lake Erie until being deactivated in 1859. It was the first lighthouse in the world to be powered by natural gas.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist School near Westfield NY

Choosing the right physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach 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 ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Westfield NY.