Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Palos Park IL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Palos Park 60464

Palos Park IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Palos Park IL is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Palos Park IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Palos Park IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Palos Park IL health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Palos Park IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, 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 prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Palos Park IL area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can 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 degrees are typically provided by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often include 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 must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Palos Park IL While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Palos Park IL home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Palos Park IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for 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. Get in touch with several Palos Park IL physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Palos Park IL area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have relationships with Palos Park IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Palos Park healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Palos Park IL home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Palos Park IL area, make certain 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 have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Palos Park Illinois?

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

Palos Park, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Palos Park has a total area of 3.973 square miles (10.29 km2), of which 3.93 square miles (10.18 km2) (or 98.92%) is land and 0.043 square miles (0.11 km2) (or 1.08%) is water.[6]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 4,689 people, 1,802 households, and 1,389 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,241.8 people per square mile (479.0/km²). There were 1,852 housing units at an average density of 490.5 per square mile (189.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.16% White, 0.28% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.73% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.

There were 1,802 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.01.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Palos Park IL

Selecting the best physical therapy college is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Palos Park IL.