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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Program near Oxford 52322

Oxford IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Oxford IA is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. 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 evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Oxford IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Oxford IA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Oxford IA medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Oxford IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Oxford IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Oxford IA While not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Oxford IA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number 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 dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Oxford IA area and across Iowa, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 choose an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Oxford IA physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Oxford IA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have associations with Oxford IA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Oxford health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Oxford IA residence. Those who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry 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 college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Oxford IA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol 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 Oxford Iowa?

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

Oxford, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 807 people, 336 households, and 216 families residing in the city. The population density was 886.8 inhabitants per square mile (342.4/km2). There were 350 housing units at an average density of 384.6 per square mile (148.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.9% White, 3.3% African American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 336 households of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.7% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 35.5 years. 28.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Oxford IA

Picking the right physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve 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 field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Oxford IA.