How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Hawarden 51023
Getting a physical therapist degree near Hawarden IA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain 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 school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.
What is a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Hawarden IA hospitals, health clinics, 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 earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:
- Osteoporosis and Arthritis
- Car or motor cycle accidents
- Head injuries.
- Heart attacks.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Burn injuries.
- Knee Replacement.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Multiple Sclerosis.
Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Hawarden IA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.
Physical Therapist Degrees Available
There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Hawarden IA area:
- Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
- Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
- Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.
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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.
Physical Therapy Colleges Online
While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hawarden IA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.
Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools
By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Hawarden IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.
Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides 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 College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 also. Call several Hawarden IA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.
What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hawarden IA area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.
Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Iowa 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 college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.
Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have relationships with Hawarden IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Hawarden medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Hawarden IA residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Hawarden IA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative 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 emergencies.
Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hawarden Iowa?
If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Hawarden IA area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.
Hawarden, Iowa
Hawarden is located very near to the center of the North American continent, far removed from any major bodies of water. This lends the area a humid continental climate, with hot, humid summers, cold snowy winters, and wide temperature extremes. Summers can bring daytime temperatures that climb into the 90s Fahrenheit, and winter lows can be well below zero.
As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 2,546 people, 1,020 households, and 667 families residing in the city. The population density was 881.0 inhabitants per square mile (340.2/km2). There were 1,152 housing units at an average density of 398.6 per square mile (153.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.8% White, 0.5% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 10.6% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.0% of the population.
There were 1,020 households of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.06.
Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Hawarden IA
Picking the right physical therapy school is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental 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 achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Hawarden IA.
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