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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lizton 46149

Lizton IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Lizton IN is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior 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 nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Lizton IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Lizton IN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Lizton IN medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with 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 regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Lizton IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Lizton IN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually incorporate 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 also must 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 total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lizton IN While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lizton IN residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Lizton IN area and throughout Indiana, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure 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 as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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. Call several Lizton IN physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be prudent 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 Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lizton IN area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Indiana or the state where you will be working. 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 program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have associations with Lizton IN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Lizton medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back 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 schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Lizton IN residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Lizton IN area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lizton Indiana?

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

Lizton, Indiana

Lizton is a town in Union Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was 488 at the 2010 Census. It is one of the three towns (Pittsboro and North Salem being the other two) that make up North West Hendricks School Corporation.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 488 people, 197 households, and 137 families residing in the town. The population density was 856.1 inhabitants per square mile (330.5/km2). There were 218 housing units at an average density of 382.5 per square mile (147.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.4% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 197 households of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.5% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.96.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Lizton IN

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Lizton IN.