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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Hinsdale 60521

Hinsdale IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Hinsdale IL is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, 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 evaluate the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality 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 nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Hinsdale IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Hinsdale IL private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement 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.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Hinsdale IL medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Hinsdale IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Hinsdale IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hinsdale IL Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hinsdale IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Hinsdale IL area and across Illinois, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Hinsdale IL physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school 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 Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean 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 help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hinsdale IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be working. 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Hinsdale IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Hinsdale medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average 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 opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Hinsdale IL residence. Those 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 school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hinsdale IL area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hinsdale Illinois?

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

Hinsdale, Illinois

Hinsdale is a village in Cook and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Hinsdale is a western suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,816 at the 2010 census, most of whom lived in DuPage County.[3] The town's ZIP code is 60521, and it is listed in the top 1% of wealthiest towns in Illinois. It is known locally for its beautiful residences and teardown culture, of which new rebuilds have taken 30% of homes in the village. The town has a rolling, wooded topography, with a quaint downtown, and is a 22-minute express train ride to downtown Chicago on the Burlington Northern line.

Hinsdale is located 20 miles (32 km) west of Chicago and is bordered by Western Springs to the east, Clarendon Hills and Westmont to the west, Oak Brook to the north, and Burr Ridge and Willowbrook to the south. It can be reached by highway from Interstate 294 or Interstate 55. The eastern boundary of Hinsdale is I-294, and the western boundary is Route 83.

According to the 2010 census, Hinsdale has a total area of 4.633 square miles (12.00 km2), of which 4.6 square miles (11.91 km2) (or 99.29%) is land and 0.033 square miles (0.09 km2) (or 0.71%) is water.[4]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Hinsdale IL

Choosing the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed 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 best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Hinsdale IL.