How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Lansing 52151

Receiving a physical therapist degree near Lansing IA is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Lansing IA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Strokes.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Lansing IA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training 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 Lansing IA area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered 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 developed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lansing IA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Lansing IA area and across Iowa, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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 Lansing IA physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lansing IA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required 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 PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Lansing IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Lansing medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Lansing IA residence. Students who have decided 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 choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lansing IA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lansing Iowa?

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

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Lansing IA

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. 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. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish 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 appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Lansing IA.

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