Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Adrian MI

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Adrian 49221

Adrian MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Adrian MI is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in 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 must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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’s Job Description?

Adrian MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Adrian MI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Adrian MI health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Adrian MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Adrian MI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order 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 total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Adrian MI While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near 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 Adrian MI residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Adrian MI area and throughout Michigan, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Adrian MI physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Adrian MI area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Michigan or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have relationships with Adrian MI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Adrian medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small 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 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 converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within driving distance of their Adrian MI home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern 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 even 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Adrian MI area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Adrian Michigan?

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

Adrian, Michigan

Adrian was founded on June 18, 1826, by Addison Comstock, promoter of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad, and was originally named Logan.[7] In 1828 Addison's wife renamed the village to Adrian after the Roman Emperor Hadrian.

The only remaining piece of the Bank of Pennsylvania— one of the stone pillars — was moved to Adrian, Michigan and erected as the Civil War Memorial in commemoration of those in Adrian who died in the American Civil War.

In the late 19th century through early 20th century Adrian was known as the "fence capital of the world," when J. Wallace Page invented the first successful wire fence. Throughout this period, Adrian was one of the first fencing manufacturers in the world and its fences were shipped as far as New York, Berlin, Asia, and Africa. The company sponsored the highly successful Page Fence Giants black baseball team.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Adrian MI

Selecting the right physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Adrian MI.