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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Mundelein 60060

Mundelein IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Mundelein IL is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Mundelein IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Mundelein IL private practices, hospitals, 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 touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Mundelein IL health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, 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 Offered

Mundelein IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Mundelein IL area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 attainable in the United States. Some 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 implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mundelein IL While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so 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 necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Mundelein IL home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Mundelein IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 choose an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Mundelein IL physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. It might also be prudent 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 College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Mundelein IL area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate 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 supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with Mundelein IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Mundelein medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist 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 final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Mundelein IL residence. Individuals 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 importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly 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 support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Mundelein IL area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mundelein Illinois?

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

Mundelein, Illinois

Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and a northern suburb of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 31,064.[4] It is approximately thirty-five miles northwest of Chicago.

The community now known as Mundelein has been inhabited since at least 1650, when the Potawatomi people were known to have been trading with French fur traders. The first European inhabitants reached the area in the early 19th century. Peter Shaddle (for whom a street is named) was the first known settler, building a log cabin in the area now owned by St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in 1835.[5]

The next settlers were tradesmen escaping from England's industrial depression, who became farmers in the Mundelein area. In honor of their former professions, they named the city "Mechanics Grove", and built schools, churches, and businesses. The community grew and (while still unincorporated) changed its name to "Holcomb", in honor of John Holcomb, a person who was active in the area's development. As Holcomb, the community added a railway station and a post office. The Holcomb area incorporated in February 1909 under a new name, "Rockefeller", a reference to businessman John D. Rockefeller.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Mundelein IL

Selecting the best physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Mundelein IL.