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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Cassopolis 49031

Cassopolis MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Cassopolis MI is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are considering to make sure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Cassopolis MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Cassopolis MI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Cassopolis MI health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Cassopolis MI While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Cassopolis MI home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Cassopolis MI area and throughout Michigan, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at 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 choose an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. 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 may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Cassopolis MI physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Cassopolis MI area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative 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 practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Cassopolis MI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on training 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 students and graduates develop professional connections in the Cassopolis healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Cassopolis MI home. Those who have chosen 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 college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cassopolis MI area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Cassopolis Michigan?

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

Cassopolis, Michigan

Cassopolis is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Cass County.[6] The village and county are named after statesman Lewis Cass, a New Hampshire native and a prominent U.S. senator from Michigan prior to the American Civil War.

Cassopolis was platted by European Americans in 1831. It had already been designated the county seat by that point. It was incorporated as a village in 1863.[7] The county developed farming and some industry.

Cassopolis was a transit point on the Underground Railroad, by which sympathizers aided refugee slaves from the South to gain freedom in the North and in Canada. Some refugees continued through Michigan to settle in Canada in order to avoid risk under the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law, which increased incentives for capture.[8] However the 1850s also the settlement of many African-Americans and people of mixed African-American and Sapponi and Pumenkey ancestry in Cass County.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy School near Cassopolis MI

Choosing the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Cassopolis MI.