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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Hillsdale 49242

Hillsdale MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Hillsdale MI is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury 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 also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Hillsdale MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Hillsdale 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 earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Hillsdale MI medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Hillsdale MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Hillsdale MI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

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 requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

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

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have come to decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Hillsdale MI area and across Michigan, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received 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 select an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning 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 agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Hillsdale MI physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hillsdale MI area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Michigan or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have relationships with Hillsdale MI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Hillsdale health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Hillsdale MI residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry 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 program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

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

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hillsdale Michigan?

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

Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale is a city in the state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,305. It is the county seat of Hillsdale County,[6] which is located in the center of the southern border of the state. The city is situated mostly within Hillsdale Township, but is a municipality governed independently of the township.

This area is located in the rolling, fertile hills of South Central Michigan, bordering Indiana and Ohio, according to the boundaries set up under United States settlement.[7] It was long occupied by the Potowatomi, an Algonquian-speaking people who were part of a long-term alliance, called the Council of Three Fires, with the Ojibwe and Odawa (Ottawa). A Potowatomi band of about 150 people, led by the chief known as Baw Beese, had a base camp near the large lake in the area.

The first European-American settler, Jeremiah Arnold, arrived in 1834 and encountered the band. They helped the early settlers. Arnold erected a cabin and moved in with his wife Percy (Round) Arnold. With the arrival of other settlers, the pioneers erected the first schoolhouse in 1838. The City was established in 1839. In 1840 the US forced out Baw Beese and his people, as well as other Potowatomi in neighboring and more distant areas of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, making them remove to Indian Territory in present-day Kansas.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Hillsdale MI

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Hillsdale MI.