Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Camp Point IL

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Program near Camp Point 62320

Camp Point IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Camp Point IL is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get 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 selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Camp Point IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Camp Point IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address 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 abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Camp Point IL medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going 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 Offered

Camp Point IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Camp Point IL area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 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 therapist training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Camp Point IL Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Camp Point IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Camp Point IL area and across Illinois, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’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 agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Camp Point IL physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Camp Point IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary 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 Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Camp Point IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Camp Point medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Camp Point IL home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Camp Point IL area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Camp Point Illinois?

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

Camp Point, Illinois

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 1,244 people, 469 households, and 314 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,312.1 people per square mile (505.6/km²). There were 514 housing units at an average density of 542.1 per square mile (208.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.20% White, 0.08% Native American, 0.08% Asian, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.

There were 469 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the village, the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy School near Camp Point IL

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Camp Point IL.