Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Earlham IA

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy College near Earlham 50072

Earlham IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Earlham IA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Earlham IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Earlham IA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Earlham IA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Earlham IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training 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 Earlham IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 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 complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Earlham IA Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Earlham IA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Earlham IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at 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 enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Earlham IA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Earlham IA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Earlham IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Earlham health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Earlham IA residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program 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 therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Earlham IA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Earlham Iowa?

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

Earlham, Iowa

Earlham was laid out in 1869 when the railroad was extended to that point.[5] It was named after Earlham College, a Quaker college in Richmond, Indiana.[6] Earlham was incorporated on April 26, 1870.[7]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,450 people, 544 households, and 389 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,494.8 inhabitants per square mile (577.1/km2). There were 571 housing units at an average density of 588.7 per square mile (227.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.3% White, 0.1% African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

There were 544 households of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.5% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.22.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Earlham IA

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach 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 necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Earlham IA.