Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bedminster PA

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Bedminster 18910

Bedminster PA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Bedminster PA is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with 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 what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Bedminster PA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Bedminster PA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Bedminster PA health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Bedminster PA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Bedminster PA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be 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 GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available 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 component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually incorporate 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 must also 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 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bedminster PA While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bedminster PA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Bedminster PA area and throughout Pennsylvania, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it may also receive 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 simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Bedminster PA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It may also be prudent to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Bedminster PA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Bedminster PA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Bedminster medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Bedminster PA home. Individuals 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 decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally 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 choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Bedminster PA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bedminster Pennsylvania?

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

Trump National Golf Club (Bedminster, New Jersey)

Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster is a private golf club located on Lamington Road in Bedminster, New Jersey. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of New York City in Somerset County, it is owned and operated by The Trump Organization.

Donald Trump bought the property, which included the estate of automaker John Z. De Lorean, for less than $35 million in 2002.[4] It was previously known as Lamington Farm and the site of a foundering golf course construction project.[5][6] The 36-hole club was built by golf course architects Tom Fazio and Tom Fazio II, and the first course opened fourteen years ago in 2004.

For tax purposes, The Trump Organization secured a classification of the Bedminster course and the Trump course in Colts Neck as farmland. For that purpose, part of the acreage at Bedminster is used for growing hay and raising eight goats. The Wall Street Journal estimated that the use of the property tax exemption for farmland reduced the tax bill on the two golf courses from $80,000 to less than $1,000. The director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club said that Trump was "hiding behind a farmland assessment to get a massive tax break on a golf course."[10][11]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Bedminster PA

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish 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 right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Bedminster PA.