Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Corydon IN

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Corydon 47112

Corydon IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Corydon IN is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Corydon IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Corydon IN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Corydon IN health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Corydon IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Corydon IN area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist 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. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

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 United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Corydon IN While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs 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 requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Corydon IN home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Corydon IN area and across Indiana, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 enroll in an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Corydon IN physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Indiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Corydon IN area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Indiana or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have relationships with Corydon IN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Corydon medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching 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 final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Corydon IN residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Corydon IN area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Corydon Indiana?

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

Corydon, Indiana

Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana. Located north of the Ohio River in the extreme southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana, it is the seat of government for Harrison County. Corydon was founded in 1808 and served as the capital of the Indiana Territory from 1813 to 1816. It was the site of Indiana's first constitutional convention, which was held June 10–29, 1816. Forty-three convened to consider statehood for Indiana and drafted its first state constitution. Under Article XI, Section 11, of the Indiana 1816 constitution, Corydon was designated as the capital of the state until 1825, when the seat of state government was moved to Indianapolis. During the American Civil War, Corydon was the site of the Battle of Corydon, the only official pitched battle waged in Indiana during the war. More recently, the town's numerous historic sites have helped it become a tourist destination. A portion of its downtown area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Corydon Historic District. As of the 2010 census, Corydon had a population of 3,122.

During the American Revolution George Rogers Clark captured the surrounding area of what became the town of Corydon from the British, bringing it under the control of the fledgling United States government.[6] The first American settlers entered Harrison County in 1792, and included the families of Harvey Heth and Squire Boone, who settled south of Corydon, and Dennis Pennington and the Harbisons who settled east of Corydon.[7] The region was in the midst the Northwest Indian War during that period and the families were forced by Native Americans to leave the region and return to Kentucky.[8] The families returned to the area in 1800 following the creation of the Indiana territory.[9]

The territorial government completed the land survey of what would become Corydon in 1807, and the first official land purchases occurred in April of that year.[10] In 1803, Edward Smith and his family became the first American to settle in what would become Corydon. Following the completion of the 1807 land survey, he purchased the tract of land he had already been living on; at that time his family were the only recorded inhabitants of the future site of the town.[11] He purchased land at the edge of a fertile valley near a large spring, which is the site of the present-day Harrison County fairgrounds.[12]William Henry Harrison, the first governor of the Indiana Territory and a future president of the United States, often stopped to rest at the Smith's home while travelling to and from Vincennes, the territorial capital.[13]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near Corydon IN

Deciding on the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Corydon IN.