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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Kaneville 60144

Kaneville IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Kaneville IL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to 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 necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Kaneville IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Kaneville IL hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive 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
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Kaneville IL health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Kaneville IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Kaneville IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component 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 phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kaneville IL Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so 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 close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kaneville IL home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Kaneville IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning 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 as well. Contact several Kaneville IL physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Kaneville IL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Kaneville IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to receive hands on training 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 form professional connections in the Kaneville medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Kaneville 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 area internships will be of concern. One thing 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of aid is obtainable. 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 college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

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

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kaneville Illinois?

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

Kaneville, Illinois

Kaneville is a village in southwestern Kane County, Illinois, United States. It was incorporated in November 2006 and the first elected officials were chosen in elections held on April 17, 2007. The village had a population of 484 at the 2010 census. Kaneville is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The village was originally called Royalton, but this was found to be taken by another settlement. The name was then changed to Kaneville, referring to Elias Kane.[3]

Pick the Right Physical Therapist College near Kaneville IL

Selecting the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Kaneville IL.