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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Schaumburg 60159

Schaumburg IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Schaumburg IL is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals 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 obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with 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 what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Schaumburg IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Schaumburg 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 earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Schaumburg IL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear 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 stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Schaumburg IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Schaumburg IL area:

Associate Degrees train 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 degrees are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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 licensed physical therapists holding 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 Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Schaumburg IL Although not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Schaumburg IL home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Schaumburg IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Schaumburg IL physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Schaumburg IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Schaumburg IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Schaumburg health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Schaumburg IL home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

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

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Schaumburg IL area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Schaumburg Illinois?

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

Schaumburg, Illinois

Schaumburg /ˈʃɔːmbɜːrɡ/ is a village located in Cook County and DuPage County in northeastern Illinois, United States. The village is a northwestern suburb of Chicago and is part of the Golden Corridor.[4] Schaumburg is located roughly 28 miles (45 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop and approximately 10 miles (16 km) northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 74,227.[5] In 2018, the Village of Schaumburg was ranked the Best Place to Live in Illinois by MONEY Magazine.[6] Additionally, in 2017, Money Magazine ranked Schaumburg the 9th best place to live in the United States.[7]

The village contains one of only two IKEA stores in Illinois. It contains the Woodfield Mall, the 11th largest mall in The United States according to List of largest shopping malls in the United States, which at most times has over 300 stores.[8] Schaumburg's transition from a rural community to that of a suburban metropolis began with Alfred Campanelli's first large scale suburban-style development in 1959 and Woodfield Mall's opening on September 9, 1971.

Schaumburg is bordered by Hoffman Estates and Palatine to the north, Rolling Meadows to the northeast, Elk Grove Village to the southeast, Roselle to the south, Hanover Park to the southwest, and Streamwood to the west.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Schaumburg IL

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is an important first decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important 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 have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Schaumburg IL.