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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Odin 62870

Odin IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Odin IL is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Odin IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Odin IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although 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.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Odin IL medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Odin IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Odin IL area:

Associate Degrees train students to become 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 made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist 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 initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and often 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Odin IL While not as prevalent as the on campus options, 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, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Odin IL home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Odin IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

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

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’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 organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Odin IL physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact 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 two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Odin IL area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have associations with Odin IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Odin medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly 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 average 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Odin IL home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally 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 school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Odin IL area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Odin Illinois?

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

Odin, Illinois

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 1,122 people, 440 households, and 293 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,110.8 people per square mile (428.9/km²). There were 485 housing units at an average density of 480.2 per square mile (185.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.48% White, 0.62% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 440 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the village, the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Odin IL

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Odin IL.