Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Summit Argo IL

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Summit Argo 60501

Summit Argo IL physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapist degree near Summit Argo IL is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Summit Argo IL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Summit Argo IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Summit Argo IL health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Summit Argo IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Summit Argo IL area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Summit Argo ILWhile not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Summit Argo IL home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Summit Argo IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

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 doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Summit Argo IL physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Summit Argo IL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study 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 therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Summit Argo IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Summit Argo healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Summit Argo IL home. 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 local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Summit Argo IL area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Summit Argo Illinois?

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

Summit, Illinois

Summit (or Summit-Argo) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,054 at the 2010 census.[3] The village is arguably best known as the setting to Ernest Hemingway's 1927 short story "The Killers".

According to the 2010 census, Summit has a total area of 2.257 square miles (5.85 km2), of which 2.12 square miles (5.49 km2) (or 93.93%) is land and 0.137 square miles (0.35 km2) (or 6.07%) is water.[5] Most of "Summit" is in the floodplain of the Des Plaines River.[6]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 10,637 people, 3,356 households, and 2,416 families residing in the village. The population density was 5,008.7 people per square mile (1,937.2/km²). There were 3,552 housing units at an average density of 1,672.6 per square mile (646.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 63.31% White, 12.05% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 19.64% from other races, and 3.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.47% of the population, with Mexican Americans representing 44.3%.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Summit Argo IL

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental 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 achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Summit Argo IL.

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