How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Jacksonville 62650

Getting a physical therapy degree near Jacksonville IL is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are considering to ensure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Jacksonville IL hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 previously stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Osteoporosis and Arthritis
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Jacksonville IL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Jacksonville IL area:

• Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Jacksonville IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Jacksonville IL area and across Illinois, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are considering 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for 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 also. Get in touch with a few Jacksonville IL physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school 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 submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Jacksonville IL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Jacksonville IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Jacksonville healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Jacksonville IL home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Jacksonville IL area, make certain that they are offered. 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 may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Jacksonville Illinois?

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

Choose the Right Physical Therapist School near Jacksonville IL

Choosing the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Jacksonville IL.

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