Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Cambridge VT

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Cambridge 05444

Cambridge VT physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Cambridge VT is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to 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 important qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Cambridge VT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Cambridge VT 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 mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Cambridge VT medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Cambridge VT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to practice as 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 brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Cambridge VT area:

Associate Degrees train students to become 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 be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with 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 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 overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cambridge VT While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Cambridge VT home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses 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 ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Cambridge VT area and across Vermont, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make certain that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Cambridge VT physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the Vermont Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cambridge VT area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Vermont or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have relationships with Cambridge VT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Cambridge healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Cambridge VT home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern 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 even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Cambridge VT area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cambridge Vermont?

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

Cambridge, Vermont

Granted on November 7, 1780, Cambridge was chartered on August 13, 1781 to Samuel Robinson, John Fassett, Jr., Jonathan Frost and 64 others. It was first settled in 1783 by John Safford from Piermont, New Hampshire.[3] The intervales proved good but rough, best for grazing livestock. By 1839, the town had about 7,000 sheep.[4] The Lamoille River offered water power for watermills. Industries included one woolen factory, one tannery, one gristmill, plus several sawmills and cabinet shops.[5]

Cambridge and neighboring Johnson were together known as the King's College Tract, being created by Lieutenant Governor Cadwallader Colden by authority of British King George III in 1764. The King's College Tract was reserved for the eventual establishment of a university on the site. The place name Cambridge suggests Cambridge University in England. Johnson, the other town in the King's College Grant, was named for William Samuel Johnson.[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 63.7 square miles (164.9 km2), of which 63.7 square miles (164.9 km2) is land and 0.02% is water. Cambridge is drained by the Lamoille River.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Cambridge VT

Selecting the right physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Cambridge VT.