Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Huntington Woods MI

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Huntington Woods 48070

Huntington Woods MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Huntington Woods MI is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Huntington Woods MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Huntington Woods MI private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Huntington Woods MI health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather 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 Therapist Degree Options

Huntington Woods MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Huntington Woods MI area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually include 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 must also 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Huntington Woods MI Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so 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 near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Huntington Woods MI residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, 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 Huntington Woods MI area and across Michigan, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you select the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned 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 enroll in an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Huntington Woods MI physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. 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, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Huntington Woods MI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Michigan or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with Huntington Woods MI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Huntington Woods healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy 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 a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Huntington Woods MI home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. 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 have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Huntington Woods MI area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Huntington Woods Michigan?

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

Huntington Woods, Michigan

Huntington Woods is a suburb of Detroit, located in southeastern Oakland County, Michigan. The population was 6,238 at the 2010 census.[6] Huntington Woods is situated along the Woodward Corridor and is bounded by Ten and Eleven Mile Roads to the north and south, and by Woodward Avenue and Coolidge Highway to the east and west. The city is widely known as the "City of Homes", as it consists mostly of residences.[7]Rackham Golf Course is located along the southern end of the city. The western portion of the Detroit Zoo is located within the city limits and is a contributor to its tax base.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.47 square miles (3.81 km2), all land.[1] Rackham Golf Course, owned by the city of Detroit, makes up 20% (0.3 square miles) of the total area of the city.[8]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 6,238 people, 2,354 households, and 1,784 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,243.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,638.4/km2). There were 2,429 housing units at an average density of 1,652.4 per square mile (638.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.0% White, 1.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Huntington Woods MI

Selecting the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. 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. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to 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 Huntington Woods MI.