Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Glen Ellyn IL

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Glen Ellyn 60137

Glen Ellyn IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Glen Ellyn IL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Glen Ellyn IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Glen Ellyn IL private practices, hospitals, 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While 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.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Glen Ellyn IL medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Glen Ellyn IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Glen Ellyn IL area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, 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 attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Glen Ellyn IL Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Glen Ellyn IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Glen Ellyn IL area and across Illinois, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential 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 Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received 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 enroll in an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Glen Ellyn IL physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, 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 Glen Ellyn IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have relationships with Glen Ellyn IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Glen Ellyn health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Glen Ellyn IL home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some 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 might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Glen Ellyn IL area, make certain 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 need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Glen Ellyn Illinois?

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

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

The first landowner in Glen Ellyn was Deacon Winslow Churchill. He and his family moved to Glen Ellyn from New York in 1834. Other newcomers to the area built town necessities such as a tavern and school.[5]

Moses Stacy, a soldier in the War of 1812, arrived here in 1835. His inn, Stacy's Tavern, built in 1846 and his second home, was a halfway stop between Chicago and the Fox River Valley and a probable stop for Galena, Illinois stagecoaches on their way to Rockford, Illinois. Stacy's Tavern, now a historical monument, stands at what is now the intersection of Geneva Road and Main Street.[6]

In 1849, construction of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad through Glen Ellyn was finished. The area around the railroad became the center of the town. At first, trains running through the town on the railway did not stop there. A local man named Lewey Q. Newton made an offer to the railroad company: Newton would build a depot and water tank out of his own pocket if the railroad would require trains to stop there. The depot that Newton built became known as Newtown Station.[5]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Glen Ellyn IL

Choosing the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Glen Ellyn IL.