Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Palos Hills IL

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Training Program near Palos Hills 60465

Palos Hills IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Palos Hills IL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, 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 necessary to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Palos Hills IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Palos Hills IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Palos Hills IL health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of 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 extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Palos Hills IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available 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 summaries of degrees that are offered in the Palos Hills IL area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Palos Hills IL While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Palos Hills IL home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Palos Hills IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make certain that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 enroll in an online college, it may also earn 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. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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. Contact several Palos Hills IL physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Palos Hills IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Palos Hills IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Palos Hills medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Palos Hills IL residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Palos Hills IL area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure 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 Palos Hills Illinois?

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

Palos Hills, Illinois

Palos Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago. The city was established in 1958 and had reached a population of 17,484 in the 2010 census.[3] It is the home of Moraine Valley Community College as well as Amos Alonzo Stagg High School.

According to the 2010 census, Palos Hills has a total area of 4.292 square miles (11.12 km2), of which 4.25 square miles (11.01 km2) (or 99.02%) is land and 0.042 square miles (0.11 km2) (or 0.98%) is water.[4]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 17,665 people, 7,320 households, and 4,772 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,239.7 people per square mile (1,635.6/km²). There were 7,492 housing units at an average density of 1,798.1 per square mile (693.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.18% White, 5.48% African American, 0.11% Native American, 2.67% Asian, 1.11% Pacific Islander, 1.57% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Palos Hills IL

Deciding on the right physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve 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 ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Palos Hills IL.