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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Training Program near Hammond 61929

Hammond IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Hammond IL is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Hammond IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Hammond IL private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Hammond IL medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of 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 Degree Options

Hammond IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Hammond IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab 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 USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hammond IL Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hammond IL residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Hammond IL area and across Illinois, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online college, it may 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. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Hammond IL physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program 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 schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hammond IL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Hammond IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific 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 can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Hammond health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak 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 therapist school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Hammond IL home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may 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 beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hammond 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 may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hammond Illinois?

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

Hammond, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Hammond has a total area of 0.761 square miles (1.97 km2), of which 0.76 square miles (1.97 km2) (or 99.87%) is land and 0.001 square miles (0.00 km2) (or 0.13%) is water.[5]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 518 people, 225 households, and 141 families residing in the village. The population density was 679.8 people per square mile (263.2/km²). There were 244 housing units at an average density of 320.2 per square mile (124.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.26% White, 0.58% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.58% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.19% of the population.

There were 225 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.95.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy College near Hammond IL

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish 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 training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Hammond IL.