Colleges for Physical Therapy Near Me Lockport IL 60441 Archives

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Lockport 60441

Lockport IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Lockport IL is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated 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 must obtain the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Lockport IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Lockport IL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Lockport IL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Lockport IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Lockport IL area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often incorporate 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 also must 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 complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lockport IL While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure 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 nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lockport IL residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Lockport IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, 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, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Lockport IL physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your college options. 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Lockport IL area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have associations with Lockport IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships 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 supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Lockport healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Lockport IL home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes 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 decide to enroll in a college 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? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lockport IL area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lockport Illinois?

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

Lockport, Illinois

Lockport is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States, located 30 miles southwest of Chicago. The city was incorporated in 1853.[3] It is situated along the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal[4], and was the headquarters of the canal when the canal was operating. A section of the canal runs through Lockport, including the remains of the canal's Lock No. 1 from which the town received its name.[5] The canal right-of-way is now the Illinois and Michigan National Heritage Corridor. Because of proactive efforts dating back several years, the city of Lockport is one of the best-preserved canal sites in existence today.[6]

Illinois is the nation's most populous inland state. Its successful growth is due in large part to the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a revolutionary development that linked the Great Lakes to the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The canal was vital to the development of the city of Chicago and to the economic development of the Midwest; the canal also fostered the growth of the small settlement that became the City of Lockport. The Illinois and Michigan Canal was especially crucial in its delivery of steamed hams from Albany, NY to the Chicago region. The Des Plaines River Valley was a portage site for the Des Plaines River for the Miami and Potawatomi, and explorers Louis Jolliet and Marquette traversed the region on their journeys.

Lockport is located at 41°35′19″N 88°2′50″W / 41.58861°N 88.04722°W / 41.58861; -88.04722 (41.588659, -88.047267),[7] which touches the village of Lemont and the unincorporated hamlet of Wneksville.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lockport IL

Choosing the right physical therapist school 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 excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish 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 ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Lockport IL.