Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Mendon MO

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Mendon 64660

Mendon MO physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Mendon MO is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Mendon MO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Mendon MO hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Mendon MO medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Mendon MO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single 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 readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Mendon MO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mendon MO Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many 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 combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Mendon MO home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs 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 disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Mendon MO area and across Missouri, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Mendon MO physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to contact the Missouri Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Mendon MO area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Missouri or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ 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 tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have associations with Mendon MO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Mendon health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Mendon MO home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously 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 choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Support Provided? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Mendon MO area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mendon Missouri?

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

Mendon, Missouri

Mendon was laid out in 1871 by Christopher Shupe.[6] However, the area had previously had some homes, and businesses were in operation in the area several years prior to the town plat actually being filed. Among the earliest was a general store built around 1865 by Mr. Bostich and Mr. Eastman.[7]

With the coming of the Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railroad in the 1880s, the citizens of Mendon were faced with a monumental choice. The rail line was projected to pass by, over a mile away. Thus when the railroad tracks were laid in 1887 and 1888, a new Mendon was created at the current site, and the former location was mostly abandoned.[8]

By 1899 the community contained over twenty stores, a school, a bank, and two hotels.[8] A newspaper, the Mendon Citizen, was first published in 1886.[7] The estimated population in the late 1890s was 350 residents.[8]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Mendon MO

Choosing the best physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach 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 best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Mendon MO.