Tag Archives: Colleges for Physical Therapy Near Me Bethany IL 61914

Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Bethany IL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Bethany 61914

Bethany IL physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapist degree near Bethany IL is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy 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 residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Bethany IL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Bethany IL private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Bethany IL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Bethany IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered 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 brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Bethany IL area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bethany ILWhile not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Bethany IL home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Bethany IL area and across Illinois, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited?  Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Bethany IL physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest 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 help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bethany IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Bethany IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Bethany health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Bethany IL home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry 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 program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bethany IL area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bethany Illinois?

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

Bethany, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Bethany has a total area of 0.972 square miles (2.52 km2), of which 0.97 square miles (2.51 km2) (or 99.79%) is land and 0.002 square miles (0.01 km2) (or 0.21%) is water.[4]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,287 people, 544 households, and 386 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,323.6 people per square mile (512.3/km²). There were 580 housing units at an average density of 596.5 per square mile (230.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.99% White, 0.08% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.31% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population.

There were 544 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.84.

Select the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Bethany IL

Picking the best physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Bethany IL.

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