Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Prairie City IA

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Prairie City 50228

Prairie City IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Prairie City IA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Prairie City IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Prairie City IA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce 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:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Prairie City IA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Prairie City IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only 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 prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Prairie City IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 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 complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Prairie City IA Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure 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 nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Prairie City IA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Prairie City IA area and across Iowa, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Prairie City IA physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college selections. 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Prairie City 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 excellent. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing. 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Prairie City IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Prairie City medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching 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 an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Prairie City IA residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Prairie City IA area, verify 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 have to enroll in. Also, learn 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 Prairie City Iowa?

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

Prairie City, Iowa

Prairie City was founded by James Elliot in 1856, for whom it was originally named;[4] it was later changed because there was already another Elliot in the state.[5] The first resident was William Means, who built a tavern 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Elliot's cabin. The railroad first came through Prairie City in 1866. The first school in Prairie City was built on 1868(The Plainsmen) ; the city's district remained independent until a merger with that of Monroe in 1990, brought about by the destruction by fire of Monroe's high school. The new school district is called Prairie City-Monroe ("PCM") Community School district, home of the PCM Mustangs.

Prairie City's Historical Society was established in 1995. The Prairie City Historical Museum is located at 109 S. Main Street and open by appointment. Many artifacts from Prairie City's history are housed in the museum including the Dowden Potato Digger, which was originally manufactured in Prairie City.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,680 people, 631 households, and 468 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,388.4 inhabitants per square mile (536.1/km2). There were 678 housing units at an average density of 560.3 per square mile (216.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.4% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Prairie City IA

Choosing the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to go to different schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Prairie City IA.