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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Chatham 49816

Chatham MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Chatham MI is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Chatham MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Chatham MI private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Chatham MI medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Chatham MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Chatham 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 earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Chatham MI Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Chatham MI residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Chatham MI area and across Michigan, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Chatham MI physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, 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 Chatham MI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Michigan or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Chatham MI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent 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 can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Chatham healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller 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 sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Chatham MI home. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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 Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Chatham MI area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Chatham Michigan?

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

Chatham Islands

The Chatham Islands form an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about 800 kilometres (500 mi) east of the South Island of New Zealand. It consists of about ten islands within a 40-kilometre (25 mi) radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Some of these islands, once cleared for farming, are now preserved as nature reserves to conserve some of the unique flora and fauna. The resident population is 600 (as of 2013[update]).[1] The islands' economy is largely dependent on conservation, tourism, farming and fishing.

The archipelago is called Rēkohu ("Misty Sun") in the indigenous Moriori language, and Wharekauri in Māori. The Moriori are the indigenous people of the Chatham Islands, and members of the Māori Ngāti Mutunga tribe have also settled on the island. It has officially been part of New Zealand since 1842 and includes the country's easternmost point, the Forty-Fours.

The islands are at about 43°53′S 176°31′W / 43.883°S 176.517°W / -43.883; -176.517, roughly 840 kilometres (520 mi) east of Christchurch, New Zealand. The nearest mainland New Zealand point to the Chatham Islands is Cape Turnagain, in the North Island at a distance of 650 kilometres (400 mi). The nearest mainland city to the islands is Hastings, New Zealand, located 697 kilometres (430 mi) to the North-West. The two largest islands, Chatham Island and Pitt Island, constitute most of the total area of 966 square kilometres (373 sq mi), with a dozen scattered islets covering the rest.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Chatham MI

Picking the right physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Chatham MI.