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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near Fremont 52561

Fremont IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Fremont IA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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?

Fremont IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Fremont IA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Fremont IA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Fremont IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as 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. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Fremont IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fremont IA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Fremont IA residence. Online programs 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 alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Fremont IA area and across Iowa, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply 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 may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Fremont IA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Fremont IA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

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

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with Fremont IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Fremont health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Fremont IA residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern 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 school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Fremont IA area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fremont Iowa?

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

Fremont, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 743 people, 300 households, and 208 families residing in the city. The population density was 721.4 inhabitants per square mile (278.5/km2). There were 327 housing units at an average density of 317.5 per square mile (122.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.7% White, 0.1% African American, 0.7% Asian, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 300 households of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% 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 2.98.

The median age in the city was 37.5 years. 26.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% male and 48.9% female.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Fremont IA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize 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 options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Fremont IA.