Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clifton IL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Clifton 60927

Clifton IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Clifton IL is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Clifton IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Clifton IL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Clifton IL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy 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 preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often include 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clifton IL Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Clifton IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Clifton IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to be sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 choose an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Clifton IL physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Clifton IL area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria 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 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 performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with Clifton IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Clifton health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Clifton IL residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes 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 consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Clifton IL area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn 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 Clifton Illinois?

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

Clifton, Illinois

Clifton is located in northern Iroquois County at 40°56′5″N 87°56′1″W / 40.93472°N 87.93361°W / 40.93472; -87.93361 (40.934592, -87.933535).[6]Interstate 57 passes along the eastern side of the village, with access from Exit 297. I-57 leads north 14 miles (23 km) to Kankakee and south 61 miles (98 km) to Champaign. Chicago is 72 miles (116 km) north of Clifton.

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 1,317 people, 519 households, and 367 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,485.1 people per square mile (571.3/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 611.2 per square mile (235.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.16% White, 0.30% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.53% of the population.

There were 519 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.09.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Clifton IL

Picking the right physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Clifton IL.