Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - North Smithfield RI

How to Select a Physical Therapy Degree Program near North Smithfield 02896

North Smithfield RI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near North Smithfield RI is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally 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 research those you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist?

North Smithfield RI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as North Smithfield RI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other North Smithfield RI medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

North Smithfield RI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the North Smithfield RI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently 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 taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in North Smithfield RI Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s North Smithfield RI residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the North Smithfield RI area and across Rhode Island, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously stated, 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some North Smithfield RI physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Rhode Island Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the North Smithfield RI area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Rhode Island 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 program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have relationships with North Smithfield RI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the North Smithfield healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their North Smithfield RI home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the North Smithfield RI area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify 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 may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near North Smithfield Rhode Island?

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

North Smithfield, Rhode Island

North Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, settled as a farming community in 1666 and incorporated into its present form in 1871. North Smithfield includes the historic villages of Forestdale, Primrose, Waterford, Branch Village, Union Village, Park Square, and Slatersville. The population was 12,314 at the 2015 census.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.7 square miles (64 km2), of which 24.0 square miles (62 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (2.83%) is water. North Smithfield is in a New England upland region. The Branch River and Blackstone Rivers provided much of the power for the early mills in the town. The town consists mainly of temperate forests, with minor elevation changes. Residents can expect mild summers and harsh winters.

In the 17th century British colonists settled in North Smithfield developing a farming community that they named after Smithfield, London in England.[3] The town was part of Smithfield, Rhode Island until it was incorporated as North Smithfield in 1871.[3] The first colonization occurred after a Native American, "William Minnian, (or Quashawannamut) of Punkkupage" (present day Canton, MA) of Massachusetts Bay on May 14, 1666, deeded approximately 2,000 acres" to John Mowry and Edward Inman who partnered with Nathaniel Mowry, John Steere, and Thomas Walling in dividing up the purchased tract.[3] In the early 18th century, a Quaker colony developed in what is now North Smithfield (then Smithfield), which extended into south Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near North Smithfield RI

Choosing the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in North Smithfield RI.