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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hillside 60162

Hillside IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Hillside IL is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Hillside IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Hillside 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 patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Hillside IL health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going 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 long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some 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. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hillside IL Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hillside IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Hillside IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Hillside IL physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. It might also be prudent to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hillside IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Hillside IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Hillside medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher 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 an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Hillside IL residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hillside IL area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hillside Illinois?

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

Hillside, Illinois

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,157 people, 2,914 households, and 1,975 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,565.1 people per square mile (994.8/km²). There were 3,138 housing units at an average density of 986.8 per square mile (382.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 37.7% White, 43.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 12.3% some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.6% of the population, of which 23.6% of the total population were Mexican.[3]

There were 2,914 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were headed by married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71, and the average family size was 3.35.[3]

In the village, the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.[3]

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Hillside IL

Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following 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 proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Hillside IL.