How to Select a Physical Therapy School near West Bloomfield 48322

Earning a physical therapy degree near West Bloomfield MI is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. 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 before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we cover 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as West Bloomfield MI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped 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 caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Strokes.
• Cardiac arrest.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• Burn injuries.
• Hip Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other West Bloomfield MI medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear 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 kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the West Bloomfield MI area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are required 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 overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

While not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s West Bloomfield MI home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the West Bloomfield MI area and across Michigan, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few West Bloomfield MI physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. 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 School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the West Bloomfield MI area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both excellent 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 therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have associations with West Bloomfield MI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the West Bloomfield medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical 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 determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their West Bloomfield MI home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the West Bloomfield MI area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near West Bloomfield Michigan?

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

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near West Bloomfield MI

Selecting the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in West Bloomfield MI.

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