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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Huxley 50124

Huxley IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Huxley IA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Huxley IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Huxley IA hospitals, health clinics, 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 previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Huxley IA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in 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 prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Huxley IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Huxley IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 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 therapist training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Huxley IA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Huxley IA residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Huxley IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Huxley IA physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Huxley IA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Huxley IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Huxley medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Huxley IA home. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Huxley IA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Huxley Iowa?

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

Huxley, Iowa

Huxley is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,317 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area.

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 3,317 people, 1,194 households, and 884 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,053.0 inhabitants per square mile (406.6/km2). There were 1,322 housing units at an average density of 419.7 per square mile (162.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.6% White, 1.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 1,194 households of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.0% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.25.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Huxley IA

Deciding on the best physical therapist program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with current 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 adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Huxley IA.