|
Tara Collins, PT, IMT.C, CSCS, opened Black Rock Physical Therapy in Bridgeport, CT, in 2007 and has been practicing physical therapy for nearly 20 years. She is certified in Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
Connecticut has some of the oldest PT programs at University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart, Collins said.
"There are opportunities to network, but of course you need to have the time, especially for evening meetings when you have a child and a business," she said. "It's a great state to raise a family due to the mix of urban and rural living, a great coastline and easy access to Boston and New York for culture and Northern New England for recreation." 
Indeed, Connecticut landed five towns on Money Magazine's 2010 list of Best Places to Live -- West Hartford, Stamford, Bristol, Hamden and Norwalk - due to its mix of education, culture and recreation.
The list highlights small cities that - even now - boast plenty of jobs, great schools, safe streets, low crime, lots to do, charm, and other features that make a town great for raising a family.
In West Hartford, there is a strong emphasis on education with local schools getting high marks, and many scholars, professors, and faculty who work in the universities in the vicinity calling West Hartford home. Norwalk's educational system also stands out; its high school has an unusual Japanese cultural-exchange program.
Sports gain the attention in Bristol, home to the ESPN headquarters and strong high school soccer and baseball teams.
Although Stamford is a 50-minute commute to New York City, there are lots of jobs right in town, especially in finance. Hamden is just a 10-minute ride to either Sleeping Giant State Park or to the Connecticut shoreline, providing the small city a mix of suburban-style living with college-town energy.
Newton, MA, earned a top spot at No. 3 on the Money Magazine list. The town weathered the economic downturn fairly well, according to the editors, thanks to such stable local employers as Boston College and Newton-Wellesley Hospital. And Greater Boston, which is less than 45 minutes from Newton via train, subway or express bus, offers a wealth of health care, education, and government jobs.
Other Massachusetts towns on the top 100 list include Waltham, Brookline and Weymouth.
With the growth of medical and technology companies on nearby Route 128, Waltham has fared better than most other cities during the recession, the survey says. Brookline's claim to fame is its hometown residents, including Jack and Robert Kennedy, Conan O'Brien, Mike Wallace, and Larry Bird, whereas Weymouth is known for its 12 miles of oceanfront and affordable homes.
Elsewhere in New England, the oceanfront town of Warwick, R.I., offers a range of homes suitable for singles to growing families and has the largest stretch of retail shopping in Rhode Island. The second largest city in New Hampshire, Nashua is a safe place with a strong school district, also making it a great place to raise a family.
Deborah Nervik PT, DPT, MHS, DHS, PCS, assistant professor at Franklin Pierce University in Concord N.H. and a private practice physical therapist in Pediatrics, Early Intervention and Preschool, lives in Mount Vernon, a small New Hampshire town of less than 1,000 residents.
New Hampshire hosts an active chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association that offers many networking opportunities throughout the year. Nervik has served on the board and in committees for 30 years in a variety of ways.
"We are always open to new members and activities," she said. "We have monthly lectures and twice yearly weekend continuing education courses. We have an active student membership and involvement, a yearly fun run and October PT month activities."
Franklin Pierce University in Concord is home to New Hampshire's only DPT program, and the state also offers two PTA programs. There are two PT accredited schools in Maine, University of New England and Husson College, and for PTAS, Kennebec Valley Community College.
Like New Hampshire, Maine's chapter of APTA provides networking and continuing education opportunities to its members. Chapter President Francine Wheelock, PT, MPA, has many operational upgrades planned for the next few months, including bringing many of the chapter's collective files and documentation to a central electronic repository, improving Chapter functioning, increasing transparency of processes and bringing a new awareness to the chapter, she said in her July President's Report.
The Vermont Chapter of APTA hosts community events throughout the year, including the annual VT APTA Benefit Golf Tournament to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. This year's event will be held Sept. 3.
In observance of MLK Day 2010, DPT students at the University of Vermont initiated the opening of a new pro bono physical therapy clinic at the Community Health Center of Burlington (CHCB). The clinic is run by students and serves patients of the CHCB who are either uninsured or underinsured. Licensed physical therapists from the community donate their services by supervising and guiding students in the examination and treatment of common musculoskeletal problems.
That's not to say that New England PTs are all work and no play. The region's varied landscape offers a multitude of recreational opportunities, which many of the states' residents embrace with gusto.
Nervik appreciates New Hampshire's prime location as it is a one-hour drive to Boston, one hour to the coast in Hampton Beach, NH, one hour to the While Mountains, and one hour to the Lakes Region in Laconia.
New Hampshire has the benefit of four seasons to enjoy with something to please everyone: summer heat and beach time, fall foliage, winter sports, and spring time renewal, Nervik said.
Outdoor activities abound in the state, with accessible hiking, biking, swimming, camping and skiing, as well as cultural events, such as concerts and theatre.
"It's a great place to raise family: Safe, friendly, open, and many opportunities," Nervik said. "I have four children and all have benefited from activities throughout the state."
Sarah Long is a freelance writer.
|