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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Gillespie 62033

Gillespie IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Gillespie IL is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, 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 the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Gillespie IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Gillespie IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Gillespie IL medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Gillespie IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Gillespie IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Gillespie IL Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Gillespie IL residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Gillespie IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. 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 assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 several Gillespie IL physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Gillespie IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Gillespie IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Gillespie health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized 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 monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Gillespie IL residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Gillespie IL area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Gillespie Illinois?

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

Gillespie, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Gillespie has a total area of 1.45 square miles (3.76 km2), all land.[6] Gillespie has a large lake, Lake Gillespie, just outside the city limits. Many people from surrounding towns enjoy fishing, boating, water-skiing and sunbathing at Gillespie Lake.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 3,412 people, 1,452 households, and 936 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,349.3 people per square mile (908.5/km²). There were 1,547 housing units at an average density of 1,065.1 per square mile (411.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.56% White, 0.32% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 1,452 households, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Gillespie IL

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important initial decision you must make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 appropriate choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Gillespie IL.