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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Harvey 60426

Harvey IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Harvey IL is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Harvey IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Harvey IL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Harvey IL health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as 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 be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Harvey IL Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Harvey IL residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number 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 motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Harvey IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 enroll in an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify 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 as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Harvey IL physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program options. 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 Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Harvey IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both superior 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have partnerships with Harvey IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Harvey health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Harvey IL residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

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

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Harvey IL area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Harvey Illinois?

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

Harvey, Illinois

Harvey is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a south suburb of Chicago. The population was 25,282 at the 2010 census.[4] The city suffers from high levels of poverty (33.2%)[5] and unemployment (22.0%).[6] It also suffers from high levels of crime.[7]

Harvey was founded in 1891 by Christian leader Turlington W. Harvey, a close associate of Dwight Moody, the founder of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Harvey was originally intended as a model town for Christian values and was one of the Temperance Towns; it was closely modeled after the company town of Pullman, which eventually was annexed into the city of Chicago.[8]

In the 2000s and 2010s, Mayor Eric Kellogg attempted to boost Harvey's economy with little success. Kellogg offered developers millions of dollars in incentives to revive the long vacant Dixie Square Mall.[9] In another plan to redevelop the Chicago Park Hotel, a developer was given $10 million from the city but then abandoned the project, leaving behind a gutted building.[10]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near Harvey IL

Picking the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical 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 have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Harvey IL.