Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - La Harpe IL

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near La Harpe 61450

La Harpe IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near La Harpe IL is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover 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’s Job Description?

La Harpe IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including La Harpe 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 earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other La Harpe IL medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee 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 going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

La Harpe IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the La Harpe IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in La Harpe IL While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s La Harpe IL residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools 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.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the La Harpe IL area and across Illinois, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in 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 schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several La Harpe IL physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent 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 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 looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the La Harpe IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have associations with La Harpe IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to obtain hands on 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 develop professional relationships in the La Harpe medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their La Harpe 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 local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the La Harpe IL area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near La Harpe Illinois?

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

La Harpe, Illinois

La Harpe is located in northeastern Hancock County at 40°34′59″N 90°58′08″W / 40.582925°N 90.968770°W / 40.582925; -90.968770,[4] south of the South Branch La Moine River. Illinois Route 9 passes through the city as its Main Street, leading east 25 miles (40 km) to Bushnell and west 13 miles (21 km) to Dallas City on the Mississippi River. Illinois Route 94 intersects IL 9 at the western edge of the city, and leads north 15 miles (24 km) to Stronghurst.

During the 18th century, French explorers headed by Bernard de la Harpe were forced to spend the winter just north of the present city of La Harpe. About 1896, four stone tablets dated June 15, 1715, and inscribed in French were reportedly found a few miles east of the old fortication built by the explorers. Stones were translated locally by the only French family in town as follows: "We are surrounded by indians and have no hope for survival unless help soon arrives." Said stone tablets were reported to be sent to the Smithsonian for authentication, and were ruled a hoax. Their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Soon after 1830, landowners in the area began to develop a town which they called "Franklin". In 1836, they applied for a post office and were informed another town in Illinois was already named Franklin. The first postmaster, Louis Rice Chaffin, suggested the name be registered as "La Harpe", for the Frenchman who spent the winter over 100 years earlier. The City of La Harpe was granted a charter by the Illinois legislature in 1859. The charter was amended in 1861 to change the size of the town, and the boundaries have changed through the years. Today the city has 22 streets and avenues.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near La Harpe IL

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is an important first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve 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 selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in La Harpe IL.