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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Onsted 49265

Onsted MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Onsted MI is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Onsted MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Onsted 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Onsted MI health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

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

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Onsted MI While not as prevalent 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 incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Onsted MI residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Onsted MI area and throughout Michigan, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make sure that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Onsted MI physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Onsted MI area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both superior 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have associations with Onsted MI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Onsted health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Onsted MI residence. Those 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 importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Onsted MI area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Onsted Michigan?

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

Onsted, Michigan

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 917 people, 370 households, and 253 families residing in the village. The population density was 945.4 inhabitants per square mile (365.0/km2). There were 399 housing units at an average density of 411.3 per square mile (158.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.2% White, 0.2% African American, 1.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 370 households of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the village was 39.3 years. 26.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 24.8% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Onsted MI

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to active 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Onsted MI.