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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Michigantown 46057

Michigantown IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Michigantown IN is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn 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 thinking about to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about 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?

Michigantown IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Michigantown IN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Michigantown IN health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Michigantown IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Michigantown IN area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually 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 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 complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Michigantown IN Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Michigantown IN home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Michigantown IN area and throughout Indiana, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 choose an online program, it can also earn 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. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into 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 also. Get in touch with a few Michigantown IN physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program 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 colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out due to 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Michigantown IN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Indiana or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Michigantown IN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Michigantown healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one 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 sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Michigantown IN residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something 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 need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 colleges offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Michigantown IN area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Michigantown Indiana?

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

Michigantown, Indiana

Michigantown is a town in Michigan Township, Clinton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 467 at the 2010 census. The town was named for the Michigan Road, an early thoroughfare through the area.[6]

Joseph Hill and Robert Edwards platted Michigantown in 1830 with lots on both sides of the Michigan Road; additions made in 1874 and 1876 by William Lowden added more lots to the north, bringing the edge of town up to what was then the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad (later the Toledo, St. Louis and Western). In 1912 the Marion, Kokomo and Frankfort Electric Railroad built a line that paralleled the other through town.

Michigantown is located at 40°19′41″N 86°23′32″W / 40.32806°N 86.39222°W / 40.32806; -86.39222 (40.328070, -86.392275).[8] A Norfolk Southern Railway line crosses the northern edge of town and connects the cities of Frankfort and Kokomo.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Michigantown IN

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed 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 relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish 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 proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Michigantown IN.