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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Pinckneyville 62274

Pinckneyville IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Pinckneyville IL is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest 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 address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Pinckneyville IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Pinckneyville IL hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients 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 deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though 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.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Pinckneyville IL medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

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

Associate Degrees train students to practice as 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 qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom 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 attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pinckneyville IL Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Pinckneyville IL home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures 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 best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Pinckneyville IL area and across Illinois, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Pinckneyville IL physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pinckneyville IL area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Pinckneyville IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Pinckneyville medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Pinckneyville IL home. Those who have chosen 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 college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pinckneyville IL area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pinckneyville Illinois?

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

Pinckneyville, Illinois

Pinckneyville is a city in and the county seat of Perry County, Illinois, United States.[5] The population was 5,464 at the 2000 census. It is named for Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, an early American diplomat and presidential candidate.

According to the 2010 census, Pinckneyville has a total area of 4.315 square miles (11.18 km2), of which 4.04 square miles (10.46 km2) (or 93.63%) is land and 0.275 square miles (0.71 km2) (or 6.37%) is water.[7]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 5,464 people, 1,504 households, and 920 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,728.5 people per square mile (667.6/km²). There were 1,662 housing units at an average density of 525.8 per square mile (203.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.25% White, 24.36% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.77% from other races, and 0.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.47% of the population.

Select the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Pinckneyville IL

Deciding on the right physical therapy college is an important first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Pinckneyville IL.