Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Woodlawn IL

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Woodlawn 62898

Woodlawn IL physical therapy school student with volunteerGetting a physical therapist degree near Woodlawn IL is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number 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 evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Woodlawn IL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in varying locations, such as Woodlawn IL hospitals, health clinics, 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Woodlawn IL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Woodlawn IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Woodlawn IL area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the program.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Woodlawn ILAlthough 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 integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Woodlawn IL residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Woodlawn IL area and across Illinois, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several Woodlawn IL physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. 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 couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Woodlawn IL area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Woodlawn IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Woodlawn medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Woodlawn IL residence. Students who have decided 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. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school 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 frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Woodlawn IL area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Woodlawn Illinois?

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

Woodlawn, Illinois

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 630 people, 241 households, and 185 families residing in the village. The population density was 882.3 per square mile (342.6/km²). There were 260 housing units at an average density of 364.1/sq mi (141.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.57% White, 0.16% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.32% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races.

There were 241 households out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the village the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 34.8% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy School near Woodlawn IL

Selecting the right physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Woodlawn IL.

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