Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Edwardsville KS

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Edwardsville 66113

Edwardsville KS physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Edwardsville KS is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally 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 research those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Edwardsville KS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Edwardsville KS hospitals, health clinics, 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 stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Edwardsville KS medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Edwardsville KS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to practice as 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 short explanations of degrees that are available in the Edwardsville KS area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 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 licensed practicing 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 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Edwardsville KS Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Edwardsville KS home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, 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 Edwardsville KS area and across Kansas, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to make certain that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. 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 aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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 Edwardsville KS physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Kansas Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once 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 Edwardsville KS area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Kansas or the state where you will be practicing. 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 school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have associations with Edwardsville KS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get hands on experience 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 Edwardsville medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Edwardsville KS home. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Edwardsville KS area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Edwardsville Kansas?

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

Edwardsville, Kansas

Edwardsville is a city in Wyandotte County, Kansas, United States and is part of the "Unified Government" which also contains Kansas City, Kansas, most of Bonner Springs, and roughly one quarter of Lake Quivira. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,340.[5]

Edwardsville was surveyed in 1869 on land formerly belonging to Half Moon, an Indian chief of the Delawares.[6] It was named for John H. Edwards, a general passenger agent for the Union Pacific Railroad, who later served as a justice of the peace and state senator from Ellis County, Kansas.[7][8]

Edwardsville is located at 39°03′48″N 94°48′52″W / 39.063428°N 94.814347°W / 39.063428; -94.814347 (39.063428, -94.814347).[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.36 square miles (24.24 km2), of which, 9.04 square miles (23.41 km2) is land and 0.32 square miles (0.83 km2) is water.[1]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Edwardsville KS

Picking the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental 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 to become a licensed physical therapist in Edwardsville KS.