Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - South Elgin IL

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near South Elgin 60177

South Elgin IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near South Elgin IL is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist?

South Elgin IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including South Elgin IL hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other South Elgin IL health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

South Elgin IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the South Elgin IL area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and usually 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. Some 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 Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Elgin IL Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist 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 requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s South Elgin IL residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the South Elgin IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to make sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final 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 earlier stated, 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few South Elgin IL physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the South Elgin IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with South Elgin IL hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the South Elgin medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their South Elgin IL home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously 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 college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the South Elgin IL area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Elgin Illinois?

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

South Elgin, Illinois

South Elgin is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,985 at the 2010 census, and estimated to be 23,000 as of 2017. In 2007, Money magazine named South Elgin as 82nd of 100 entries in its "America's Best Places To Live" edition and again in 2011 as 98th of 100 entries.

South Elgin is located at 41°59′32″N 88°18′28″W / 41.99222°N 88.30778°W / 41.99222; -88.30778 (41.992283, -88.307858),[4] in the pleasant Fox River Valley. Once populated by Native Indians, South Elgin has done well in preserving this land's history. According to the 2010 census, South Elgin has a total area of 7.157 square miles (18.54 km2), of which 6.99 square miles (18.10 km2) (or 97.67%) is land and 0.167 square miles (0.43 km2) (or 2.33%) is water.[5]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 16,100 people, 5,565 households, and 4,307 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,560.5 people per square mile (988.3/km²). There were 5,657 housing units at an average density of 899.7 per square mile (347.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 86.02% White, 2.58% African American, 0.17% Native American, 5.47% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.88% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.34% of the population.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near South Elgin IL

Choosing the best physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school 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 best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in South Elgin IL.