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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Minooka 60447

Minooka IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Minooka IL is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Minooka IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Minooka IL private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Minooka IL health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Minooka IL Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Minooka IL home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Minooka IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting 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 as well. Call some Minooka IL physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Minooka IL area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have relationships with Minooka IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Minooka medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. 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 some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Minooka IL residence. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Minooka IL area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Minooka Illinois?

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

Minooka, Illinois

Minooka, a suburb of Chicago, is a village in Grundy, Kendall, and Will counties, Illinois, United States.[3] The population was 10,924 at the 2010 census. Minooka currently has two high schools in its district, a campus for juniors and seniors and a newer campus for freshmen and sophomores. Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201 (elementary district) has a total of seven schools and serves nearly 4000 students.[4] Minooka has continuously been growing and has many new subdivisions. The Rock Island Line served the town at Minooka Station.

According to the 2010 census, Minooka has a total area of 9.526 square miles (24.67 km2), of which 9.45 square miles (24.48 km2) (or 99.2%) is land and 0.076 square miles (0.20 km2) (or 0.8%) is water.[6]

As of the 2000 census,[8] there were 3,971 people, 1,315 households, and 1,088 families residing in the village. The population was 10,924 at the 2010 census. The population density was 931.5 people per square mile (359.9/km²). There were 1,338 housing units at an average density of 313.9 per square mile (121.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.04% White, 0.25% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.85% of the population.There were 1,315 households out of which 49.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.2% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.34.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Minooka IL

Choosing the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve 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 appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Minooka IL.