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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Marion 52302

Marion IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Marion IA is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper 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 college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Marion IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Marion IA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. 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 patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although 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.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Marion IA medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Marion IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Marion IA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Marion IA Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Marion IA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Marion IA area and across Iowa, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 enroll in an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Marion IA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It may also be prudent to check with the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Marion IA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have associations with Marion IA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Marion medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Marion IA home. 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 local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can furnish 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 Marion 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 need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Marion Iowa?

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

Marion, Iowa

Marion is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26,294 at the 2000 census and was 34,768 at the 2010 census, an increase of 32.2%.[5] The city is located next to Cedar Rapids and part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The town was named after Francis Marion, a hero of the Revolutionary War. The site was selected in 1839 to be the first county seat of the newly organized Linn County, Iowa. After years of debate over moving the county seat to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it was put to a vote in 1919. The vote was 9,960 in favor of moving the seat and 4,823 not in favor.

Each year, the city hosts the annual "Swamp Fox Festival", a celebration of Marion's heritage named in honor of the "Swamp Fox", Francis Marion's nickname during the Revolutionary War. The event typically includes a 5K run, parade, fireworks, and many other family friendly activities.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Marion IA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to different schools to view 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 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 proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Marion IA.