Tag Archives: Physical Therapy Degrees Online Edwardsville IL 62025

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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Edwardsville 62025

Edwardsville IL physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapist degree near Edwardsville IL is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Edwardsville IL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in diverse locations, including Edwardsville IL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Edwardsville IL medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Edwardsville IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training 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 Edwardsville IL area:

  • Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate 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 complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Edwardsville ILWhile not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs 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 an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Edwardsville IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Edwardsville IL area and across Illinois, you’ll need to research other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited?  Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, 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 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 choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research 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. Get in touch with some Edwardsville IL physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It may also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Edwardsville IL area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Edwardsville IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Edwardsville healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Edwardsville IL residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern 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 decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school 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 finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Edwardsville IL area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Edwardsville Illinois?

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

Edwardsville, Illinois

Edwardsville is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,293. It is the county seat of Madison County.[3] The city was named in honor of Ninian Edwards, then Governor of the Illinois Territory.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the Edwardsville Arts Center, the Edwardsville Journal, the Madison County Record, and the Edwardsville Intelligencer are here. Edwardsville High School and Metro-East Lutheran High School serve students in the area.

Edwardsville is a part of Southern Illinois, the Metro East region, and Greater St. Louis. It is part of the Edwardsville School District, which also includes the villages of Glen Carbon, Hamel, and Moro, as well as the townships areas around them.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist School near Edwardsville IL

Selecting the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Edwardsville IL.

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    Business Results 1 - 10 of 52

    SSM Health Physical Therapy
    3 Reviews
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