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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Deerfield 49238

Deerfield MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Deerfield MI is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Deerfield MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Deerfield MI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Deerfield MI medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Deerfield MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Deerfield MI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently 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 attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Deerfield MI While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Deerfield MI home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. 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 dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Deerfield MI area and across Michigan, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Deerfield MI physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to check with 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 Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Deerfield MI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Deerfield MI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Deerfield healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher 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 speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Deerfield MI home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire 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 may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Deerfield MI area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Deerfield Michigan?

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

Deerfield, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.96 square miles (2.49 km2), all land.[1] Deerfield is also 33.1 miles (53.3 km) southeast of Ann Arbor and 26.5 miles (42.6 km) northwest of Toledo.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 898 people, 343 households, and 258 families residing in the village. The population density was 935.4 inhabitants per square mile (361.2/km2). There were 372 housing units at an average density of 387.5 per square mile (149.6/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.0% White, 0.4% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.1% of the population.

There were 343 households of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.8% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.00.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Deerfield MI

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Deerfield MI.