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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Lansing 60438

Lansing IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Lansing IL is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Lansing IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Lansing IL hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Lansing IL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to complete and usually incorporate 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 total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lansing IL Although not as common 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 nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated 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 curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lansing IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Lansing IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously 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 enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Lansing IL physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out 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 Lansing IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Lansing IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Lansing healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Lansing IL residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college 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 usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lansing IL area, make sure that they are available. 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 have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lansing Illinois?

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

Lansing, Illinois

Lansing is located at 41°33′57″N 87°32′45″W / 41.56583°N 87.54583°W / 41.56583; -87.54583 (41.565785, -87.545791).[4] It is 6.9 miles (11.1 km) south of the Chicago city limits at 138th Street, and 25.6 miles (41.2 km) from the Chicago Loop. Lansing is bordered by Glenwood and Thornton to the west, Calumet City and South Holland to the north, Lynwood to the south, and by Munster and Hammond in Indiana to the east.

According to the 2010 census, Lansing has a total area of 6.848 square miles (17.74 km2), of which 6.79 square miles (17.59 km2) (or 99.15%) is land and 0.058 square miles (0.15 km2) (or 0.85%) is water.[5] Lansing sits on the Calumet Shoreline, an ancient shoreline of Lake Michigan. This shoreline runs along Ridge Road.

Lansing is represented in the United States Congress by Representative Robin Kelly, of Illinois' 2nd congressional district, as well as Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth in the United States Senate.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Lansing IL

Choosing the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might 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 reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following 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 proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Lansing IL.