Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Green Valley IL

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Green Valley 61534

Green Valley IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Green Valley IL is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Green Valley IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Green Valley IL hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Green Valley IL health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, 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 keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Green Valley IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Green Valley IL area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Green Valley IL Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Green Valley IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Green Valley IL area and across Illinois, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, 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 earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Green Valley IL physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It might also be a good idea 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 two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Green Valley IL area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Green Valley IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Green Valley healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big 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 prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student 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 an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Green Valley IL residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Green Valley IL area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure 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 Green Valley Illinois?

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

Green Valley, Illinois

Green Valley is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. It is south of Pekin near the county border along Illinois State Route 29. The population was 728 at the 2000 census. There is an assisted living facility, Mardell Manor, in the village.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 728 people, 262 households, and 205 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,360.6 people per square mile (906.7/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 907.9 per square mile (348.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.04% White, 0.14% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.27% Asian, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 262 households out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.13.

Select the Best Physical Therapy School near Green Valley IL

Choosing the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Green Valley IL.