Studying in US

[pt ireland]

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Hi guys,
I have a BSc in physiotherapy from a college in Ireland and have been working as a neurodevelopmental PT for 5 years in Ireland.
I am moving to the US ( NY or Boston) next year and wanted to do a 1 year masters in paediatric PT or neuro PT. Does anyone know if this is possible or where I could go to look for info on this.
If this isn't an option I would love to hear any other suggestions

 

[markelmarcel]

All US PT programs (well there may be a couple that aren't fully transitioned) are 3 year Doctoral programs. They are designed to prepare their students for entry-level PT positions. Specialization is usually in the form of additional certifications that you can only work torwards once the initial PT degree/license is obtained. Or, that is my understanding.

 

[jchen707]

But I believe there are tDPT for those with masters wishing to get a higher level degree. Not sure if that would apply to you, but it's similar because you already have a PT degree so you might be able to enroll in a transitional DPT (tDPT). hope that helps

 

[TheOx777]

What the previous poster stated is true. I do not know how an international license transfers from Ireland to the U.S., but I would keep that in mind. If there are no issues with your licensure, then you should try to contact the APTA about possibly doing a residency or fellowship in Pediatric physical therapy. At this point in time, I do not think there are any residencies/fellowships in peds in the Boston/New York area at this time. Check out this website, and maybe it will give some information to make an informed decision.


http://www.apta.org/ResidencyFellowship/ProgramDirectory/

 

[goyo1010]

Mhmm. There is not "masters" in a certain specialties. However, you can be certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialites. There are certain qualifications you must meet before being certified though. Take a look: http://www.abpts.org/home.aspx.

Also, as Ox said, it is a good opportunity to do a residency/fellowship to help you on your way into specializing in either Peds or Neuro.

You could also apply at a university to do a tDPT, but it's really not necessary, unless you want to be up to date with PT in the US.

 

[jesspt]

Hi guys,
I have a BSc in physiotherapy from a college in Ireland and have been working as a neurodevelopmental PT for 5 years in Ireland.
I am moving to the US ( NY or Boston) next year and wanted to do a 1 year masters in paediatric PT or neuro PT. Does anyone know if this is possible or where I could go to look for info on this.
If this isn't an option I would love to hear any other suggestions

Not sure what the market is in the Boston area, but I have heard that reimbursement for PT in New York is horrible, which will probably effect your salary. I would probably look into that when considering which metro area to move to.

In regards to the Master's programs - these went out of vogue in the US quite some time ago, and even when they were around, they were relatively few in number. If you are really determined to get additional training in neuro or peds, a residency is likely the way to go. However, your salary may be less, as some residencies only pay you for the time you spend on patient care, not the didactic preparation or laboratory time you spend.

Another consideration would be to try to find a Pediatric Clinical Specialist or a Neuro Clinical Specialist who owns their own clinic, or at least manages a clinic, and see if you can get a job at that facility. They may be quite willing to act as a clinical mentor.