Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Crescent City IL

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Crescent City 60928

Crescent City IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Crescent City IL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Crescent City IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Crescent City IL private practices, hospitals, 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 struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Crescent City IL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Crescent City IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Crescent City IL 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 a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Crescent City IL While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Crescent City IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Crescent City IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 select an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just 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 might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Crescent City IL physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Illinois 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 Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Crescent City IL area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Crescent City IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Crescent City healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Crescent City IL residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help 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 offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Crescent City IL area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Crescent City Illinois?

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

Crescent City, Illinois

Crescent City is located in central Iroquois County at 40°46′14″N 87°51′28″W / 40.77056°N 87.85778°W / 40.77056; -87.85778 (40.770448, -87.857823).[4]U.S. Route 24 passes through the center of the village, leading east 6 miles (10 km) to Watseka, the county seat, and west 7 miles (11 km) to Gilman near Interstate 57. Illinois Route 49 crosses US 24 on the western side of Crescent City; it leads north 8 miles (13 km) to US Routes 45 and 52 near L'Erable, and south 23 miles (37 km) to Rankin.

On June 21, 1970, the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad Company's Train No. 20 derailed in downtown Crescent City. A propane tank car ruptured, and explosions caused fires that destroyed the city center, which included numerous houses and businesses. No lives were lost, although over 60 firefighters and civilians were injured.[6] The disaster would later be featured on episode #124 of the Discovery Channel show Destroyed in Seconds.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 631 people, 259 households, and 183 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,253.7 people per square mile (487.3/km²). There were 272 housing units at an average density of 540.4 per square mile (210.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.42% White, 0.48% Native American, 0.48% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Crescent City IL

Selecting the ideal physical therapy college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Crescent City IL.