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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Homewood 60430

Homewood IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Homewood IL is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Homewood IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Homewood IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Homewood IL medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, 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 Therapy Degrees Offered

Homewood IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Homewood IL area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 offered in the USA. Some licensed 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 implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Homewood IL Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Homewood IL residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly 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 advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Homewood IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 choose an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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 also. Call several Homewood IL physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may 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 check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Homewood IL area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

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

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Homewood IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Homewood medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. 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 talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Homewood IL residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide 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 usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

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

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Homewood IL area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Homewood Illinois?

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

Homewood, Illinois

Homewood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. The population was 19,323 at the 2010 census.[4] Homewood is a sister city to Homewood, Alabama. In 2007, Forbes magazine rated Homewood as one of the three most "livable" suburbs in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.[5]

According to the 2010 census, Homewood has a total area of 5.259 square miles (13.62 km2), of which 5.21 square miles (13.49 km2) (or 99.07%) is land and 0.049 square miles (0.13 km2) (or 0.93%) is water.[6] It lies on the Calumet Shoreline. The ancient shoreline can be seen clearly as the sand ridge along Ridge Road. A south suburban village, Homewood is 22 miles (35 km) due south of The Loop/downtown Chicago at 800 west and 18300 south on the Chicago grid system.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 19,543 people, 7,552 households, and 5,256 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,755.5 people per square mile (1,451.1/km²). There were 7,827 housing units at an average density of 1,504.1 per square mile (581.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 56.50% White, 33.70% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy School near Homewood IL

Picking the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Homewood IL.