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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Blissfield 49228

Blissfield MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Blissfield MI is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Blissfield MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Blissfield MI private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Blissfield MI health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee 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 patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Blissfield MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Blissfield MI area:

Associate Degrees prepare 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 be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to progress 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 becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Blissfield MI Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Blissfield MI residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Blissfield MI area and across Michigan, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Blissfield MI physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to contact the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Blissfield MI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Michigan 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 therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have associations with Blissfield MI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Blissfield medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Blissfield MI home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Blissfield MI area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Blissfield Michigan?

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

Blissfield, Michigan

Blissfield is a village in Lenawee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,340 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Blissfield Township. The Blissfield post office first opened March 28, 1828.[6] Hervey Bliss, who was the first white settler in 1824 and for whom the town is named, was the first postmaster.[7]

During World War II, 16 German POWs, who were working on a sugar beet farm near Blissfield, were killed in an accident when their truck collided with a train as they were returning to Fort Custer. They are now buried at Fort Custer National Cemetery.

According to local legend, Blissfield was home to the first set of Triple Bridges in the world. These three bridges stood directly next to each other and crossed the River Raisin to accommodate train and vehicular travel. Throughout time, the two vehicular bridges were replaced with one. Recently though, a pedestrian bridge was erected to restore the heritage of the Triple Bridges.[citation needed]

Pick the Best Physical Therapy School near Blissfield MI

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical 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 options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Blissfield MI.