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

How to Select a Physical Therapy Training Program near Momence 60954

Momence IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Momence IL is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Momence IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Momence IL hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues 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
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Momence IL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Momence IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Momence IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element 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 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 attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Momence IL While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Momence IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Momence IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Momence IL physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Momence IL area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have associations with Momence IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Momence medical 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 want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable 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 prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Momence IL residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local 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 might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Momence IL area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask 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 Momence Illinois?

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

Momence, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Momence has a total area of 1.627 square miles (4.21 km2), of which 1.53 square miles (3.96 km2) (or 94.04%) is land and 0.097 square miles (0.25 km2) (or 5.96%) is water.[3]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 3,171 people, 1,159 households, and 784 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,316.3 people per square mile (893.7/km²). There were 1,223 housing units at an average density of 893.3 per square mile (344.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.18% White, 4.32% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 4.95% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.38% of the population.

There were 1,159 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.13.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Momence IL

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Momence IL.